    [Senate Hearing 116-]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

         DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES
                      APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020

                                  ----------

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.

                           NONDEPARTMENTAL WITNESSES

        [Clerk's note.--The subcommittee was unable to hold
    hearings on nondepartmental witnesses. The statements and
    letters of those submitting written testimony are as follows:]
                 Prepared Statement of Aclara Technologies, LLC
        As a leading technology provider to electric, gas and water
    utilities, Aclara Technologies, LLC respectfully urges you to
    prioritize smart water network infrastructure spending, as well as
    funding to improve the performance, efficiency, and safety of our
    Nation's energy and water distribution infrastructure in the Fiscal
    Year 2020 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill. We thank you
    for this opportunity to express our support for this funding and
    appreciate your consideration.
        Aclara Technologies, LLC (``Aclara'') provides smart infrastructure
    technologies to electric, gas and water utilities, with offerings in
    advanced metering, methane sensing, device networking and
    communications, data management, analytics, and customer service. Over
    1,000 utilities in 36 countries rely on proven Aclara solutions
        We currently have 950 Aclara clients located in all 50 States and
    employ over 1,600 staff in the United States and over 150
    internationally. Smart technologies make energy and water use more
    efficient and allow utilities to provide better services to their
    clients. Companies like Aclara prove that smart technologies mean jobs,
    not just at Aclara, but also at utilities in the form of installation
    and monitoring jobs.
        Aclara offers its strong support for the advancement of
    technologies that can improve our Nation's energy and water
    distribution networks by providing enhanced monitoring, detection, and
    control capabilities. These technologies are an important and cost-
    effective way to increase reliability, efficiency, and safety of our
    ageing infrastructure. Supporting the advancement of these technologies
    will be crucial as the country's energy and water distribution networks
    continue to age and as the risks for utilities and network operators
    rise.
    Water Infrastructure
        Although many of our Nation's water and wastewater systems have
    been around for more than a century, water infrastructure spending has
    received a significantly smaller and decreasing share of total
    infrastructure investment. According to the Value of Water Campaign,
    over the past 40 years the percentage of overall Federal infrastructure
    spending has been steady for roads and bridges, but has decreased for
    water infrastructure.\1\ The Congressional Budget Office found that
    Federal spending on water infrastructure decreased from $76 per person
    in 1977 to just $11 per person in 2014, and EPA estimates that the
    country's water and wastewater infrastructure will need more than $650
    billion over the next two decades to maintain current levels of
    service. We are pleased that the administration's previous two budget
    requests (fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019) retained funding for
    important programs like WIFIA and the SRFs, and we urge you to
    prioritize water infrastructure spending in fiscal year 2020 and
    beyond.
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        \1\ http://www.waterweek.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Value-of-
    Water-Economic-Benefits-of-Investing-in-Water-Infrastructure.pdf.
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        Moving and treating water requires an extensive infrastructure of
    pipes and plants and offers opportunities for energy and water
    efficiency at every step. Water leaks cost many cities as much as 10 to
    30 percent loss of their water, leaks that also waste a lot of energy.
    The EPA estimates that drinking water and wastewater systems account
    for 30 to 40 percent of total energy consumed by municipalities. As
    much as 8.4 billion kilowatts is wasted each year moving water
    nationwide. Due to ageing infrastructure, significant energy savings
    are possible through the use of leak detection and pressure monitoring
    technologies.
        Water system efficiency and smart water networks should be a
    clearly stated goal of any investments made in our Nation's water
    infrastructure. Water distribution systems should be modernized in a
    way that increases water and energy efficiency and enables customers
    and utilities to interact with it as never before. This will require
    smart water networks that facilitate the collection of data via sensors
    along distribution networks, advanced analytics, and the incorporation
    of communications technologies to optimize performance, preempt
    problems, and allow for rapid response.
        The Environmental Protection Agency, through its Office of Water,
    should help to advance the utilization of infrastructure solutions such
    as distribution network leak detection, pressure monitoring, and
    sanitary and combined sewer monitoring technologies during upgrades to
    water and wastewater systems to optimize water delivery performance,
    reduce energy usage, limit water waste in distribution systems, and
    enhance modeling of sewer collection networks. This will help to
    improve operations, maintenance, and capital expenditure in planning
    and budgeting, and increase spatial and temporal monitoring data
    available on U.S. water quality and quantity.
        One key aspect of smart water networks is advanced metering
    infrastructure (AMI). AMI can offer communities multiple advantages to
    improve their management of water, reducing water and energy waste, and
    decrease costs for distributors, operators, and consumers. AMI provides
    benefits beyond those available from older automatic ``drive-by'' meter
    reading (AMR) technologies that read meters monthly only to support
    customer billing. Detailed consumption data provided by AMI can help
    reduce water use in many ways, including:

      --Detects system leaks--Non-revenue water costs utilities $4.9
            billion per year. AMI can help drastically reduce water leaks
            and associated costs by creating a continuous flow of
            information from advanced meters, combined with advanced data
            analytics, that enables water suppliers to rapidly and
            precisely identify water losses and conservation opportunities.
      --Helps consumers save water (and money)--AMI allows for hourly data
            to be made available to end consumers. Providing this kind of
            detailed water use information to consumers through an
            associated consumer engagement application or customer portal
            is proven to increase conservation, thereby saving consumers
            money on their monthly water bills.
      --Leverages existing advanced metering investments to reduce cost--
            for example, Aclara's technologies can also leverage existing
            gas metering infrastructure, eliminating some infrastructure
            and deployment costs. California's major gas utilities have
            already deployed Aclara, providing the umbrella infrastructure
            for a ``hybrid'' communication system that water utilities can
            use. Harnessing existing networks can significantly reduce
            deployment time and allow rapid realization of conservation
            benefits. In these shared networks, Aclara technology is used
            to split meter reads for different utility companies, keeping
            the costs of data collection low. Aclara, and its competitors
            in the AMI space, offer the technology needed to separate the
            collected data for each utility and provide the security to
            prevent commingling of each utility's data.
      --Enables smart pressure management to save energy--AMI enables
            improved water pressure management of utility systems, which
            consists of automatically modulating flow and pressure
            according to water demand, keeping pressure constant at the
            service points. Besides reducing leakage and bursts, smart
            pressure management lowers operating costs by reducing site
            visits and energy costs from maintaining unnecessary high
            pressure. Smart pressure management requires a wireless
            communications system including sensors that measure pressure
            at critical points, software that analyses the pressure status
            at such points and calculates responses to achieve a desired
            pressure, and a controller device to prompt smart pumps or
            valves whose use can save energy.
      --Provides resilience during and following natural disasters--for
            example, Aclara's system in New York City, which serves more
            than 9 million people, weathered Hurricane Sandy with minimal
            disruption. Aclara's water meter transmission units have a 20
            year battery life and its data collectors offer a rugged,
            weather-proofed design that stores 28 days of data with a 14
            day back up battery life. Deployments offer redundancy so that
            if an individual data collector is disabled, another collector
            can continue to obtain meter data for that area, offering
            resiliency critical after earthquakes, floods or other
            disasters.

        In addition to ensuring funds are dedicated to the advancement of
    water efficiency technologies, we also urge you to support
    appropriations for technologies to make our wastewater systems
    ``smarter,'' particularly when it comes to sanitary sewer overflows
    (SSOs). SSOs can be extremely costly, and many wastewater system owners
    don't know about spills until well after the fact, which can further
    increase the cost of remediation. SSO monitoring technologies can help
    to mitigate these costs and can help to prevent SSOs from happening in
    the first place. For example, Aclara's solutions provide detailed
    information about how sewer collection systems are operating and can
    alert operators when part of the system is operating poorly, thereby
    allowing proactive correction and pipe cleaning to prevent a spill. In
    addition, the data can be used to generate reports needed for
    regulatory concerns (thus decreasing overhead costs) and also allows
    for enhanced modeling of sewer collection networks to improve
    maintenance and capital expenditure planning and budgeting.
        Aclara believes that technologies that improve the performance,
    efficiency, and safety of the country's energy and water distribution
    networks are essential to our economic growth, health and safety, and
    overall resiliency. We urge you to ensure that fiscal year 2020
    appropriations, as well as any potential infrastructure package put
    together during this congress, includes funds for the advancement of
    technologies that will make our water and natural gas distribution
    networks smarter, safer, and more efficient. We urge a prioritization
    of water infrastructure spending. Again, thank you for providing this
    opportunity to submit testimony. We would also appreciate the
    opportunity to brief you or your staff on the status of these
    technologies and how additional research can help their advancement. We
    look forward to working with you.

    Contact Information
    Kara Saul Rinaldi
    Government Affairs Representative
    Aclara
    717 Kennebec Ave, Takoma Park MD 20912
    kara@anndyl.com

        [This statement was submitted by Kumi Premathilake, Senior Vice
    President, Advanced Metering Infrastructure.]
                                     ______

               Prepared Statement of the Alliance to Save Energy
     fiscal year 2020 appropriations for the u.s. environmental protection
               agency, energy star, and other voluntary programs
        Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony today in support
    of fiscal year 2020 appropriations for ENERGY STAR and other voluntary
    programs administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    (EPA).
        The Alliance to Save Energy is a non-profit, bipartisan collation
    of business, government, environmental, and consumer-interest leaders
    that advocates for enhanced U.S. energy productivity to achieve
    economic growth; a cleaner environment; and greater energy security,
    affordability, and reliability. The Alliance enjoys the participation
    of nearly 130 businesses and organizations that collectively represent
    at least $615 billion in market capital. The Alliance was founded in
    1977 by Senators Charles Percy (R-Illinois) and Hubert Humphrey (D-
    Minnesota), and today has 14 Members of Congress serving on an Honorary
    Board of Advisors.
        Energy efficiency is our country's greatest energy resource--
    creating jobs, stimulating economic activity, enhancing energy
    security, lowering harmful emissions, and improving U.S.
    competitiveness in global markets. Energy efficiency gains made since
    1973 have cut energy waste dramatically to fuel the U.S. economy more
    productively. Thanks in part to Federal energy efficiency programs,
    including ENERGY STAR and other voluntary programs managed by the EPA,
    the U.S. today generates twice as much gross domestic product (GDP)
    from each unit of energy we consume when compared to 1980.\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ In 1980, the U.S. consumed 78 quads (quadrillion British
    thermal units (BTUs)) while GDP was $6.4 trillion, which produces an
    energy productivity ratio of 82.6. This compares to energy productivity
    of 176.4 in 2017 (i.e., 96.8 quads and GDP of $17 trillion). Energy
    consumption data is from the Energy Information Administration. GDP
    (real dollars, 2009) is provided by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        As energy efficiency has increased, so have stable, good-paying
    jobs. More than 2.3 million American workers design, manufacture,
    install, and repair devices, appliances, equipment and buildings that
    deliver cost-effective savings, representing one-third of the entire
    energy-related workforce. Most of these are construction and
    manufacturing jobs. In fact, members of the Subcommittee on Interior,
    Environment, and Related Agencies represent over 735,000 Americans
    employed in whole or in part in the energy efficiency sector (see Table
    1).\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and
    Energy Futures Initiative (EFI), ``Energy Employment By State--2019,''
    March 2019, https://www.usenergyjobs.org. Last accessed May 14, 2019.

                  TABLE 1. ENERGY EFFICIENCY SECTOR JOBS IN STATES REPRESENTED BY SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Member                     State           Jobs          Member               State          Jobs
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lisa Murkowski.................  Alaska............     4,617   Tom Udall.........  N.M...............     5,636
    Chairwoman.....................                                 Ranking Member....
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lamar Alexander................  Tenn..............    53,006   Dianne Feinstein..  Calif.............   318,542
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Roy Blunt......................  Mo................    41,845   Patrick Leahy.....  Vt................    11,035
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Mitch McConnell................  Ky................    25,530   Jack Reed.........  R.I...............    12,773
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Shelley Moore Capito...........  W.Va..............     6,844   Jon Tester........  Mont..............     8,673
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Cindy Hyde-Smith...............  Miss..............    15,403   Jeff Merkley......  Ore...............    42,547
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Steve Daines...................  Mont..............     8,673   Chris Van Hollen..  Md................    70,530
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Marco Rubio....................  Fla...............   118,412
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Energy Efficiency Sector Jobs: 735,393....................................................................
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The contributions of Federal energy efficiency programs to the long
    history of economic, environmental and security benefits to our country
    are difficult to overstate. And, notwithstanding the tremendous gains
    already made, the opportunities to continue to drive cost-effective
    energy efficiency improvements are even greater. Therefore, the
    Alliance respectfully urges your support for fiscal year 2020
    appropriations at or above current levels for ENERGY STAR and the
    following voluntary programs:

                                  ENERGY STAR

      --The Alliance recommends at least $50 million for ENERGY STAR in
            fiscal year 2020.
      --The Alliance opposes the implementation of a fee-based funding
            model for ENERGY STAR, which is unnecessary, and which would
            erode the program's integrity.
      --ENERGY STAR enjoys brand awareness of more than 90 percent, which
            makes it the most widely recognized symbol for energy
            efficiency, and is extremely cost-effective. For every extra
            dollar Americans invested in energy efficiency under ENERGY
            STAR, they reduced their energy bills by an average of $4.50.
            Since 1992, managed jointly by EPA and the U.S. Department of
            Energy, ENERGY STAR has helped families and businesses save
            $450 billion on utility bills, while reducing greenhouse gas
            emissions by 3.1 billion metric tons.
      --ENERGY STAR serves broad constituencies across every State in the
            country, working with over 16,000 partners. ENERGY STAR
            includes almost 1,800 manufacturing partners of over 70
            different product categories, who sold more than 300 million
            qualified products in the U.S. in 2016. About 50 percent of the
            commercial building floor space in the U.S. has been
            benchmarked for tracking and analyzing energy consumption using
            ENERGY STAR's Portfolio Manager. ENERGY STAR also counts almost
            3,000 home builder partners who constructed over 1.9 million
            certified new homes since 1995. In 2016, families living in
            ENERGY STAR certified homes saved over $360 million on utility
            bills, and 91,000 energy efficiency improvement projects on
            existing homes were completed by Home Performance with ENERGY
            STAR partners in 2017. More than 700 utilities, State and local
            governments, and nonprofits across the country use ENERGY STAR
            in their own energy efficiency programs and rely on it to
            reliably and affordably meet their energy needs.

            OTHER VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENCY

      --The Alliance recommends at least level funding for Environmental
            Programs and Management--Clean Air and--Water Quality
            Protection in Fiscal Year 2020 accompanied by clear direction
            to EPA to continue administering its portfolio of voluntary and
            partnership programs that encourage energy efficiency practices
            in industry and deliver savings across the energy sector.
      --The Combined Heat and Power Partnership aims to reduce pollution
            from electricity and thermal power generation by working with
            industry and other stakeholders to develop new projects.
      --The SmartWay Transport Partnership with the freight transportation
            industry supports efforts to improve the fuel efficiency of
            vehicles. This program has worked with more than 3,700 shippers
            and logistics companies to save almost $33.4 billion in fuel
            since 2004.
      --Natural GasSTAR, which includes the Methane Challenge Program, is a
            partnership with industry that supports the identification and
            implementation of technologies that reduce methane pollution
            and provides public recognition of high achievements.
      --AgStar promotes the use of biogas recovery systems to reduce
            methane emissions from livestock waste.
      --WaterSense offers homeowners, consumers, and businesses information
            about water-efficient products market by a recognizable and
            trusted label.
      --Other programs, such as the State and Local Energy and Environment
            Program and the State and Local Energy Efficiency Action
            Network, are important collaborations between the public and
            private sectors that provide specific and tailored technical
            assistance and platforms for sharing information and best-
            practices.

                 NATIONAL VEHICLE AND FUEL EMISSIONS LABORATORY

      --The Alliance recommends at least $117 million in Science and
            Technology--Clean Air, including at least level funding in
            vehicle and fuel standards and in greenhouse gas reporting,
      --This laboratory is a global leader that oversees vehicle fuel
            economy and emissions testing, which are closely related. The
            laboratory manages programs that also address fuel economy
            labels, the Green Vehicle Guide, fuel standards, and nonroad
            engines.
        The Alliance also urges the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment,
    and Related Agencies to oppose the inclusion of any bill amendments or
    report language that could undermine or prevent the EPA from continuing
    to successfully manage ENERGY STAR and other voluntary programs.
    Furthermore, in light of the Government Accountability Office
    impoundment finding concerning the Advanced Research Projects Agency-
    Energy program, the Alliance continues to recommend clear and direct
    instructions to the EPA in report language to obligate and expend
    appropriated funds consistent with Congressional intent and in a timely
    manner. With respect to ENERGY STAR, the Alliance encourages the
    subcommittee to reject the administration's proposal to implement a
    fee-based mechanism to fund the program. Similar proposals have been
    suggested by previous administrations and repeatedly denied by
    Congress.
        Unpredictable energy costs and growing consumer and business demand
    make today's investments in energy efficiency ever more vital to
    America's economic health and energy security. It is important to
    emphasize that ENERGY STAR and these other EPA programs are voluntary
    initiatives that work with private-sector partners and support their
    efforts to increase business opportunities while reducing energy waste.
    The wide-ranging benefits of ENERGY STAR and these other voluntary
    programs, realized across the entire U.S. economy and accrued to even
    those who do not choose to participate, are worthy of your support in
    fiscal year 2020.
        Thank you for your consideration.
                                     ______

             Prepared Statement of the American Alliance of Museums
        Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for allowing me to submit this testimony. My
    name is Laura Lott and I am the President and CEO of the American
    Alliance of Museums (AAM). We urge your support for at least $167.5
    million each in fiscal year 2020 funding for the National Endowment for
    the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), as
    well as sufficient funding for the Smithsonian Institution. We also
    request your support for the Historic Preservation Fund, including at
    least $60 million for State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), $20
    million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs) and $22.5
    million for competitive grants to preserve the sites and stories of the
    Civil Rights Movement. We request funding of $16 million for the Save
    America's Treasures program. In addition, we would like to work with
    you to explore ways to minimize the damage to our Nation's museums from
    future government shutdowns.
        Before detailing these funding priorities for the museum field, I
    want to express my appreciation for the increases enacted in fiscal
    year 2019. The additional funds for the NEH, NEA, and historic
    preservation activities will enhance museums' work to enrich their
    communities and preserve our many heritages. The subcommittee's choice
    to make these investments in fiscal year 2019 speaks volumes about its
    commitment to our Nation's cultural institutions and heritage. AAM
    remains deeply troubled by continuous proposals from the current
    administration to slash many of these priorities, and we look forward
    to working with you-our bipartisan allies-to reject them.
        Representing more than 35,000 museum professionals and volunteers,
    institutions-including aquariums, art museums, botanic gardens,
    children's museums, cultural museums, historic sites, history museums,
    maritime museums, military museums, natural history museums,
    planetariums, presidential libraries, science and technology centers,
    and zoos-and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance
    stands for the broad range of the museum community.

        Museums are essential in their communities for many reasons:

      --Museums are economic engines and job creators.--According to
            Museums as Economic Engines: A National Report, U.S. museums
            support more than 726,000 jobs and contribute $50 billion to
            the U.S. economy per year. The economic activity of museums
            generates more than $12 billion in tax revenue, one-third of it
            going to State and local governments. For example, the total
            financial impact that museums have on the economy in the State
            of Alaska is $280 million, including supporting 3,240 jobs. For
            New Mexico it is a $298 million impact supporting 4,934 jobs.
            This impact is not limited to cities: more than 25 percent of
            museums are in rural areas. The import of these data is not the
            numbers alone--but the point that museums give back
            tremendously to their communities in numerous ways--including
            economically. The Federal funding for NEA, NEH, and the other
            programs does not stay in Washington, DC, but it goes back to
            communities across the Nation. And it is leveraged many times
            over by private philanthropy, and State and local investments.
      --Museums are key education providers.--Museums spend more than $2
            billion yearly on education activities; the typical museum
            devotes 75 percent of its education budget to K-12 students,
            and museums receive approximately 55 million visits each year
            from students in school groups. Children who visited a museum
            during kindergarten had higher achievement scores in reading,
            math and science in third grade than children who did not,
            including children most at risk for delays in achievement.
            Museums help teach the State and local curriculum in subjects
            ranging from art and science to history, civics, and
            government. Museums have long served as a vital resource to
            homeschool learners. It is not surprising that in a 2017 public
            opinion survey, 97 percent of respondents agreed that museums
            were educational assets in their communities. The results were
            statistically identical regardless of political persuasion or
            community size.

        The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent Federal
    agency created by Congress in 1965. Grants are awarded to nonprofit
    educational institutions-including museums, colleges, universities,
    archives, and libraries-for educational programming and the care of
    collections. NEH supports museums as institutions of lifelong learning
    and exploration, and as keepers of our cultural, historical, and
    scientific heritages that can foster critical dialogues on challenging
    issues of our time.
        In fiscal year 2018, as a whole, the National Endowment for the
    Humanities awarded 826 grants totaling more than $67 million to
    institutions across the U.S., including museums. Many of NEH's
    divisions and offices support museums:

      --The Office of Challenge Grants offers matching grants to support
            much needed capacity building and infrastructure projects at
            museums.
      --The Division of Public Programs offers grants that bring the ideas
            and insights of the humanities to life in museums by supporting
            exhibitions, community conversations, and place-based history.
            Additionally, Positions in the Public Humanities supplements
            provide professional development opportunities for new museums
            professionals.
      --The Division of Preservation and Access provides funding to museums
            for efforts to preserve and provide access to our Nation's rich
            cultural heritage.
      --The Division of Education Programs supports programs that bring
            educators to museums for intensive summer training programs on
            humanities topics.
      --The Office of Digital Humanities offers grants to support
            innovations in technology at museums, universities, and other
            institutions.
      --The Division of Research supports scholarly research that many
            museums use to inform exhibitions and public programming.

        In calendar year 2018, 218 NEH-funded permanent and traveling
    exhibitions were open around the Nation, providing life-long learning
    opportunities to a wide public audience. Humanities councils in every
    State and U.S. territory sponsor family literacy programs, speakers'
    bureaus, cultural heritage tourism, exhibitions, and live performances.
    In 2018, 55 State councils supported 2,389 exhibitions, 10,097
    discussion events, 166 preservation projects, and 769 local history
    programs. In total, all State council programs reached an audience of
    more than 137 million people. State councils also awarded more than
    3,000 grants to partners in their communities.

        Here are just two examples of how NEH funding was used to support
    museums' work in your communities:

      --The Pratt Museum in Homer, Alaska, received a $300,000 award for an
            ongoing project through fiscal year 2019 to implement a
            permanent exhibition in its new facility to explore the
            interconnectedness of people and place in the Kachemak Bay
            region of Alaska. This region is home to culturally diverse
            coastal communities which make their living predominantly from
            the sea.
      --The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico,
            received a $460,000 award in fiscal year 2018 for Here, Now,
            and Always: Renovation and Renewal--an implementation of a
            reinterpretation of a permanent exhibition on Native American
            art of New Mexico and the Southwest.

        The National Endowment for the Arts makes art accessible to all and
    provides leadership in arts education. Established in 1965, NEA
    supports great art in every congressional district. Its grants to
    museums help them exhibit, preserve, and interpret visual material
    through exhibitions, residencies, publications, commissions, public art
    works, conservation, documentation, services to the field, and public
    programs.
        Since 2010, the NEA has collaborated with Blue Star Families and
    the U.S. Department of Defense on Blue Star Museums, a program which
    provides free museum admission to active duty military and their
    families all summer long. In 2018, more than 2,000 museums in all 50
    States participated, reaching on average more than 900,000 military
    members and their families.
        In 2018, the NEA provided more than 100 awards directly to museums,
    totaling more than $3.73 million. The Arts Endowment's report, U.S.
    Trends in Arts Attendance and Literary Reading: 2002-2017, notes that
    in 2017, 23.7 percent of U.S. adults (57.5 million people) visited an
    art museum or gallery. That share of adults represents an increase of
    12.9 percent from 2012 to 2017. Attendance rates were helped by
    increases among: African Americans, 18-24 year-olds, 35-44 year-olds,
    and adults who received only ``some college'' education. Communities'
    demands on museums continue to climb, increasing pressure to serve more
    people with limited financial and human resources. Receiving a grant
    from the NEA confers prestige on supported projects, strengthening
    museums' ability to attract matching funds from other public and
    private funders. On average, each dollar awarded by the Arts Endowment
    leverages up to $9 dollars from other public and private sources. The
    Federal role of the NEA is uniquely valuable. No other funder-public or
    private-funds the arts in every State and the U.S. territories. Forty
    percent of NEA's grant funds are distributed to State arts agencies for
    re-granting.

        Here are two examples of how NEA funding was used to support
    museums' work in your communities:

      --In fiscal year 2019, the Anchorage Museum in Anchorage, Alaska,
            received a $30,000 award to support SEED Lab, an artist and
            designer residency program that will respond to community needs
            through solutions, equity, energy, and design (SEED). SEED Lab
            will be a space for exhibitions created by the resident artists
            and designers, and will include free-access community programs,
            studio spaces, and a lab to explore art and design solutions to
            unique community challenges, including urban migration, threats
            to traditional ways of life affected by the State's eroding
            coastline, and the need for a new energy economy.
      --In fiscal year 2018, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
            in Santa Fe, New Mexico, received a $30,000 award to support an
            exhibition by sculptor and installation artist Rose B. Simpson
            and an accompanying catalogue. Simpson is a member of Santa
            Clara Pueblo's Naranjo family of artists and scholars and is
            the daughter of acclaimed sculptor Roxanne Swentzell.

        In addition to these direct grants, NEA's Arts and Artifacts
    Indemnity program also allows museums to apply for Federal indemnity on
    major exhibitions, saving them as much as $30 million in insurance
    costs every year and making many more exhibitions available to the
    public-all at virtually no cost to the American taxpayer.
        The Smithsonian Institution comprises some of the most visited
    museums in the world. The National Museum of African American History
    and Culture has captivated audiences from around the globe,
    underscoring the power of our national museums to educate and inspire.
    We support funding increases that would allow these world-class museums
    to undertake critical collections care, make needed technology
    upgrades, conduct cutting edge research of every type, and increase
    access for all.
        The Historic Preservation Fund is the funding source of
    preservation awards to States, Tribes, local governments, and
    nonprofits. State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices carry out
    the historic preservation work of the Federal Government on State and
    Tribal lands. These duties include making nominations to the National
    Register of Historic Places, reviewing the impact of Federal projects,
    providing assistance to developers seeking a rehabilitation tax credit,
    working with local preservation commissions, and conducting
    preservation education and planning. This Federal-State-local
    foundation of America's historic preservation program was established
    by the National Historic Preservation Act. Historic preservation
    programs are not only essential to protecting our many heritages; they
    also serve as economic development engines and job creators. We urge
    you to provide at least $60 million for SHPOs and at least $20 million
    for THPOs.
        We applaud recent funding for the Save America's Treasures program,
    and urge you to provide $16 million in fiscal year 2020 funding. From
    1999 to 2010, total Federal funding of $315 million for 1,287 Save
    America's Treasures projects leveraged an additional $400 million in
    non-Federal funds, and created more than 16,000 jobs nationwide. These
    projects protected some of America's most iconic and endangered
    artifacts, including the American flag that inspired the Star Spangled
    Banner. We also applaud the investment in competitive grants to
    preserve the sites and stories of the Civil Rights Movement. Grants for
    this initiative are currently helping museums and historic sites around
    the country conserve endangered structures, document stories, and share
    resources with the public. We support fiscal year 2020 funding of $22.5
    million for these Civil Rights Movement grants.
        I hope that my testimony helps make it clear why these priorities
    are of critical importance to the Nation and how they provide a
    worthwhile return on investment to the American taxpayer.
                                     ______

              Prepared Statement of the American Battlefield Trust
                                  introduction
        Madame Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the
    opportunity to submit testimony to you today. My name is James
    Lighthizer, and I am the president of the American Battlefield Trust. I
    respectfully request that the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for
    Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies fund the Battlefield Land
    Acquisition Grants Program, administered by the National Park Service's
    American Battlefield Protection Program, at its authorized amount of
    $10 million.
        The American Battlefield Trust is a national nonprofit organization
    dedicated to preserving America's remaining Revolutionary War, War of
    1812 and Civil War battlefields. Thanks to the generosity of our
    300,000 members and supporters, the American Battlefield Trust has
    protected more than 50,000 acres of critically important battlefield
    land in 24 States.
        The Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program is an authorized
    competitive matching grants program that requires a 1 to 1 Federal/non-
    Federal match, although on most occasions the Federal dollars are
    leveraged much more than 1 to 1. The program promotes cooperative
    partnerships between State and local governments and the private sector
    to protect high priority battlegrounds outside existing National Park
    Service boundaries.
                outdoor classrooms and military training grounds
        America's battlefields are irreplaceable parts of our shared
    national heritage. When preserved, these battlefields serve as outdoor
    classrooms to educate current and future generations about the defining
    moments in our country's history. They are living memorials, not just
    to the soldiers who fought and died there, but to all who have proudly
    worn our Nation's uniform.
        Preserved battlefields are also economic drivers for communities,
    generating tourism dollars that are extremely important to State and
    local economies. Battlefield visitors, who typically travel in groups
    and as part of families, tend to stay longer and spend more than other
    types of tourists.
        Additionally, battlefields serve as training grounds for our men
    and women in uniform in the form of customized battlefield tours known
    as ``staff rides.'' Preserved battlefields are frequently used by the
    modern military to place officers and enlisted ranks alike in the shoes
    of combat commanders, asking them to make difficult choices, in the
    face of daunting obstacles, over the same terrain. The American
    Battlefield Trust is proud to work with the Marine Corps University
    Foundation and others to host staff rides on battlefields we own and
    have protected.
                             origins of the program
        In 1990, Congress created the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission
    (CWSAC), a blue-ribbon panel composed of lawmakers, historians and
    preservationists, to examine the status of America's Civil War
    battlefields. Three years later, the Commission released a report
    identifying the most important Civil War battlegrounds, prioritizing
    them according to preservation status and historic significance. In
    addition, the Commission also recommended that Congress establish a
    Federal matching grant program to encourage private sector investment
    in battlefield preservation. The Commission's proposal for Federal
    matching grants was the genesis of today's Battlefield Land Acquisition
    Grants Program.
        In addition, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year
    2015 (Public Law 113-291) reauthorized the battlefield acquisition
    grants program and expanded its eligibility to include Revolutionary
    War and War of 1812 battlefields, in addition to Civil War
    battlefields. Similar to Civil War battlefields, funding for
    Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefield preservation is targeted
    toward sites reviewed and prioritized in a 2007 study by the National
    Park Service.
        Since the program was first funded in fiscal year 1999, grants have
    been used to protect more than 32,000 acres of hallowed ground in 20
    States. Among the battlefields that have been preserved using this
    program are: Antietam, Maryland; Bentonville, North Carolina;
    Brandywine, Pennsylvania; Champion Hill, Mississippi; Chancellorsville,
    Virginia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Hanging
    Rock, South Carolina; Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; Kettle Creek,
    Georgia; Mill Springs, Kentucky; Prairie Grove, Arkansas; Princeton,
    New Jersey; Sackets Harbor, New York; Wilson's Creek, Missouri; and
    Wood Lake, Minnesota. It is important to note that grants are awarded
    for acquisition of lands from willing sellers only; there is not--and
    never has been--any eminent domain authority.
                            urgent need for funding
        The American Battlefield Trust wishes to thank the subcommittee for
    its previous support of this valuable program. We recognize that these
    are difficult economic times and appreciate the constraints on this
    subcommittee.
        However, we must point out that the clock is ticking on the
    remaining battlefields of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil
    War. The American Battlefield Trust estimates that, in the next decade,
    most unprotected battlefield land will be either developed or
    preserved. Further, with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of
    the American Revolution only a few years away, there is no better time
    to preserve these historic shrines and prepare for the influx of
    visitors expected at that time. The program has enjoyed full funding
    for the past four fiscal years, and the Trust and its partners strive
    diligently to put these funds to use in a timely manner. There is no
    shortage of land that can be saved.
                                   conclusion
        The Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War were
    defining moments in our country's history. America's battlefields are
    important to understanding who we are as a nation, and where we come
    from. They are open spaces and outdoor classrooms that commemorate the
    sacrifices of those who fought and died on these fields, and those who
    serve our Nation honorably in the armed forces. The Battlefield Land
    Acquisition Grant Program has been an irreplaceable tool for preserving
    these hallowed grounds.
        Madame Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall, I sincerely
    hope you and your subcommittee will consider our request to provide
    funding of the American Battlefield Protection Program's Battlefield
    Land Acquisition Grants Program at its authorized level of $10 million.
    We look forward to working closely with you as we continue our
    important work to preserve America's sacred battlefield lands. Thank
    you.

        [This statement was submitted by O. James Lighthizer, President.]
                                     ______

                     Prepared Statement of American Forests
        Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony
    on American Forests' fiscal year 2020 appropriations recommendations
    for U.S. Forest Service programs.
        American Forests was established at a pivotal time in the Nation's
    history, barely 10 years after the Civil War and during a period of
    tremendous development and industrial expansion. Forests were being cut
    down at an alarming rate to make way for new farms, towns and railways,
    and timber barons were exploiting what then seemed like an
    inexhaustible resource. Since that time, we have supported progress,
    but not at all costs. Instead, over the last 140+ years we have
    advocated for using science to manage and conserve our forestlands so
    they will be with us and work for us for generations. We have helped
    develop the U.S. Forest Service and the national forest system. We have
    funded more than 1,000 forest restoration projects in every State. We
    have planted nearly 60 million trees, which has included expanding the
    tree canopy in dozens of major cities and urban areas.
        For years, we have testified to the economic value of our forests
    from cities to wilderness and have underscored the importance of
    addressing rising threats to forest health. We sincerely thank the
    committee for fiscal year 2019 funding levels, which rejected the
    drastic cuts proposed by the administration and provide the Forest
    Service with important tools and resources to manage all our Nation's
    forests.
        This year, the Nation witnessed loss and destruction from wildfire
    at levels we have never seen before. In fact, over the last decade,
    each year has been worse than the last and this trajectory shows no
    signs of changing. At American Forests, we believe our forests are
    struggling to adapt to a 'new normal' of extremes: extreme drought, low
    humidity, high winds, shortened 'cold spells'. These extremes produce
    dramatic tree mortality and high intensity wildfire in the West, and
    changing tree species composition and declining forest health in the
    East.
        To adapt forests to this 'new normal' will often require more
    active forest management, including harvesting dead and dying trees,
    reforestation, reintroducing controlled fire and other measures. More
    active forest management will require increased Federal and private
    investment and level of effort sufficient to halt this crisis. Consider
    California's forests, where over 147 million trees have died since
    2010, with roughly 85 percent of those located in the Sierra Nevada. If
    we do nothing, many areas will experience fires so intense that they
    cannot be reforested and will transition to a shrub ecosystem. The best
    hope for sustaining forests like those in the Sierra will be to thin
    areas with dead and declining trees, while restoring a more resilient
    forest and using controlled burns more frequently. But it's not only
    western forests. A recent University of Florida study found that
    southeastern forests are already seeing a changing mixture of tree
    species in response to prolonged drought. Dangerous forest pests are
    reaching farther north into New England as its climate warms. New
    stresses are coming to all of America's forests.
        The ``Fire Funding Fix'' enacted as part of the fiscal year 2018
    Omnibus appropriations bill was a critical step forward. It will allow
    the U.S. Forest Service to stop diverting funds away from forest
    management. This will provide additional resources to support forest
    restoration on America's 193 million acres of national forests, but we
    must do much more. The Forest Service needs to rebuild its staff and
    forestry resources to adequately manage the crisis that is now
    impacting our forests and to help our forests achieve long-term health
    and resilience. The question is whether we can shift our thinking and
    resources quickly enough.
        To address this crisis, American Forests respectfully urges the
    Committee to consider significantly increasing investments in the
    following key programs:
                             national forest system
    Vegetation Management & Watershed Management
    Fiscal year 2018 enacted: $180 million; fiscal year 2019: $180 million;
            American Forests fiscal year 2020 request: $371.4 million
        Reforestation of our national forests, especially after destructive
    wildfires, should be a national priority. Nearly 9 million acres of
    national forests have burned since 2010--a significant increase
    resulting from the harsh 'new normal' conditions. Funding levels for
    this program need to be recalibrated to match this new scale of
    reforestation needs. The forest service estimates $371.4 million to
    reforest 1 million acres. Therefore, American Forests recommends
    resetting program funding to $371.4M which would allow the Forest
    Service to reforest 1 million acres of national forest.
    Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP)
    Fiscal year 2018 enacted: $40 million; fiscal year 2019: $40 million;
            American Forests fiscal year 2020 request: $80 million.
        A well-documented success at improving forest health and safety,
    CFLRP promotes job stability, a reliable wood supply, and forest health
    while reducing emergency wildfire costs and risks. Increased funding
    levels would allow for additional projects to be selected across the
    country while capitalizing on the growing energy and successes of
    collaborative management and shared stewardship.
    Forest and Rangeland Research
    Fiscal year 2018 enacted: $297 million; fiscal year 2019: $ 300
            million; American Forests fiscal year 2020 request: $315
            million with $83 million allocated to the Forest Inventory
            Analysis.
        The USFS's Forest and Rangeland Research program provides essential
    support for urban and wildland forestry research activities. This
    program focuses on understanding conditions and trends in our Nation's
    urban and community forests and in providing tools and best management
    practices--which is critical for addressing the ``new normal'' these
    forests face. Agency researchers help policymakers and practitioners
    understand the environmental, economic, and social services that trees
    and forests provide. We urge the subcommittee to continue including
    language in Interior Appropriations reports encouraging the Forest
    Service to maintain a strong and vibrant urban forest research program.
                           state and private forestry
    Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF)
    Fiscal year 2018 enacted: $28.5 million; fiscal year 2019: $29.5
            million; American Forests fiscal year 2020 request: $50 million
        By 2050, 90 percent of Americans will live in cities and towns
    where currently there are 136 million acres of trees and forests. U&CF
    is the core Federal forestry program that helps these forests and trees
    adapt to the ``new normal''. Through this program, the Forest Service
    provides critical technical and financial support to cities and towns
    across the Nation to enhance tree and forest cover, prepare for storms
    and other disturbance events, contain threats from native and invasive
    pests, and maximize the economic, social, and ecological benefits of
    their tree resources. States and partner organizations leverage Federal
    support through the program by at least 2:1 (or in many cases
    significantly more). Considered a model of Federal-State collaboration,
    U&CF consistently increases communities served, brings together diverse
    partners and resources, and has lasting impacts on communities of all
    sizes but the program needs to be recalibrated to reflect the scale of
    its mission.
    Cooperative Forestry/Forest Legacy Program
    Fiscal year 2018 enacted: $67.025 million; fiscal year 2019: $63.990
            million; American Forests fiscal year 2020 request: $100
            million
        Since authorization in 1990, the Forest Legacy Program has
    protected 2.8 million acres of private forests through voluntary
    conservation easements held by States. Forests conserved through this
    program must be managed to provide economic and social benefits to the
    public. The Forest Service recently studied four FLP regions and found
    the properties support between 280 and 2,500 jobs, contribute an
    average of $140 per acre to gross regional product from timber
    harvesting, tree planting, maple syrup, hunting, fishing, birding, and
    snowmobiling on the lands. In addition, the study found 34-60 percent
    of total project cost was covered by non-Federal partners which is at
    least 10 percent greater than required by the program.
    Community Forests and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP)
    Fiscal year 2018 enacted: $4 million; fiscal year 2019: $4 million;
            American Forests fiscal year 2020 request: $10 million
        CFP has made substantial progress in preserving forests by
    increasing opportunities for Americans to connect with forests in their
    own communities and fostering new public-private partnerships. It
    provides financial assistance grants to local governments, Tribes, and
    qualified nonprofit organizations to acquire and establish working
    community forests that provide public benefits. Projects are selected
    through a competitive process that evaluates community benefits,
    contribution to landscape conservation initiatives, and likelihood of
    land conversion.

        [This statement was submitted by Alexandra Murdoch, Vice President
    of Policy.]
                                     ______

               Prepared Statement of the American Hiking Society
        On behalf of the thousands of diverse trail users our 220
    collective organizations represent, we urge appropriators to adequately
    invest in our Nation's trails.\1\ Trails provide access to our public
    lands for hiking, biking, horseback riding, off-highway vehicles, and
    other motorized and non-motorized recreation. They are also the gateway
    to nearly every facet of outdoor recreation, including fishing,
    hunting, wildlife viewing, camping, and more. A failure to maintain and
    manage our Nation's trails stymies economic growth and access to
    healthy outdoor recreation.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Full list of signatories available here: https://
    americanhiking.org/?p=40292&preview=true.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Recent data from the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic
    Analysis (BEA) calculated that outdoor recreation generated $734
    billion in economic activity in 2016, surpassing other sectors such as
    agriculture, petroleum and coal. Outdoor recreation makes up 2.2
    percent percent of U.S. GDP, supports 4.5 million jobs and is growing
    faster than the economy as a whole.\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ Bureau of Economic Analysis, Outdoor Recreation, https://
    www.bea.gov/data/special-topics/outdoor-recreation (last visited March
    25, 2019).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        According to the Outdoor Industry Association, trail centered
    activities directly generate over $594 billion \3\ and nearly 3.5
    million jobs.\4\ On federally managed land, outdoor recreation
    contributes more than $64.6 billion to the national economy and
    supports more than 623,000 jobs annually.\5\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY 18
    (2017), available at https://outdoorindustry.org/wp-content/uploads/
    2017/04/OIA_RecEconomy_FINAL
    _Single.pdf. Trail centered activities generated $594,311,835,880 from
    including retail spending, salaries, and Federal and State taxes.
        \4\ Id. Trail centered activities create 3,476,845 jobs.
        \5\ OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY 15
    (2017), available at https://outdoorindustry.org/wp-content/uploads/
    2017/04/OIA_RecEconomy_FINAL
    _Single.pdf; ``Forest Service Makes it Easier for Visitors to Enjoy
    National Forests and Grasslands.'' U.S. Forest Service, https://
    www.fs.fed.us/news/releases/forest-service-makes-it-easier-visitors-
    enjoy-national-forests-and-grasslands.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The management of our Nation's trails is largely supported by trail
    organizations and citizen volunteers who leverage government resources
    to maintain and expand our trails. On the National Trails System alone,
    since 1995, hundreds of thousands of citizen volunteers have
    contributed more than 19 million hours to build and maintain National
    Scenic and Historic Trails, and nonprofit trail organizations have
    contributed more than $200 million toward trail stewardship projects, a
    total value of $577.4 million.\6\ This historical and ongoing public
    ``sweat equity'' investment has led to an increased recognition of the
    importance of adequate Federal funding for our public lands and trails
    to maintain quality visitor experiences. It is our collective belief
    that Congress must restore the proper appropriated funding levels that
    have been cut over the decades that our Federal land management
    agencies so desperately need. We maintain that current levels are
    inadequate but recognize the political realities of this challenge.
    Consequently, we strive to temper the recommendations to ensure at the
    very least current funding is maintained and not further reduced.
    However, we believe that restored and adequate funding is not only
    desperately needed but fully warranted.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ Partnership for the National Trails System, Contributions
    Sustaining the National Scenic and Historic Trails (2018), http://
    pnts.org/new/partnership-for-the-national-trails-system-gold-sheet-of-
    volunteer-contributions-in-2018/.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        We encourage the committee to adopt the following funding requests
    and report language, so the Federal Government can continue to benefit
    from private contributions and volunteer labor as well as provide
    inexpensive, healthy outdoor recreation options for your constituents:
                             forest service (usfs)
        National Forest trails benefit everyone and receive increasing
    public use each year. Collectively, the National Forests provide
    157,000 miles of trails for activities ranging from hiking, biking,
    horseback riding, off-highway vehicle usage, groomed winter trails for
    cross-country skiing and snowmobiling, and access points for ``river
    trails.'' Yet this trail system is increasingly stressed and
    maintenance cannot keep pace with the growing demand due to inadequate
    funding. The lack of maintenance threatens public access to National
    Forests and could endanger the public safety if funding does not keep
    pace with public visitation.
    Action:
      --Maintain Capital Improvement and Maintenance, Trails as individual
            funding line item.

        --Justification: A dedicated line item in the Forest Service budget
                helps to ensure that Congress' desire to help clear the
                maintenance backlog is met, and funds are not used for
                other purposes.

      --Fund Capital Improvement and Maintenance, Trails budget at $100
            million to address trail maintenance backlog and implementation
            of the National Forest System Trail Stewardship Act.

        --Justification: In 2016, Congress passed what was termed ``the
                most bipartisan bill in Congress''--the National Forest
                System Trails Stewardship Act--to address its trail
                maintenance backlog, including doubling the output by
                volunteers and partners. But the USFS has yet to fully
                implement the Act due, in part, to a lack of resources and
                declining levels of staffing which hampers its ability to
                negotiate and oversee volunteer and cost-share agreements.
                The agency recently launched a 10-Year Sustainable Trails
                Stewardship Challenge and modest funding is needed to
                comprehensively address the well-documented trail
                maintenance backlog (GAO-13-618).

      --Allocate Capital Improvement & Maintenance (CMTL) Trails funds for
            the National Trails Systems

        --Report Language: ``Congress expects the Forest Service to
                allocate $8.826 million from this account to support
                development and maintenance of the 5 national scenic and
                one national historic trail it administers and $1.3 million
                to manage parts of 16 national scenic and historic trails
                administered by the Park Service and the Bureau of Land
                Management that cross National Forests. The Forest Service
                will report to the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee on
                how the fiscal year 2020 funds have been allocated and what
                has been accomplished with them and will include specific
                allocations for these trails in its fiscal year 2021 budget
                request.''
        --Justification: In fiscal year 2019, as has been past practice for
                two decades, the USFS did not allocate specific Capital
                Improvement & Maintenance (CMTL) Trail funds for each of
                the six national scenic and historic trails that it
                administers, as well as portions of the 17 other trails
                that it manages within the national forests for fiscal year
                2019.

      --Maintain Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness at fiscal year 2019
            enacted level of $261 million

        --Report Language: ``Within the fund provided, $500,000 is made
                available to support infrastructure and trails development,
                and to build the capacity of local user groups and
                partnership organizations for all National Recreation Areas
                administered by the Forest Service established after
                1997.''
        --Justification: The National Forests and Grasslands provide a
                great diversity of outdoor recreational opportunities,
                connecting the American public with nature in an unmatched
                variety of settings and activities.

      --Restore Legacy Roads & Trails as a separate line item and fund
            program at $50 million

        --Report Language: ``For fiscal year 2020, Legacy Roads & Trails
                should be reinstated as a separate line item in the USFS
                budget with $50,000,00 distinctly designated for urgently
                needed road and trail repair, maintenance and storm-
                proofing, fish passage barrier removal, and road
                decommissioning, especially in areas where Forest Service
                roads may be contributing to water quality problems in
                streams and water bodies which support threatened,
                endangered or sensitive species or community water
                sources.''
        --Justification: Legacy Roads & Trails funding is significantly
                impactful, improving more than 11,000 miles of trails and
                5,000 miles of roads. Dedicated funding is necessary for
                continuing the success of this program. Legacy Roads and
                Trails contributes funding to support projects that include
                the maintenance and treatments of roads that also go a long
                way towards improving our watershed health.
                          national park service (nps)
        National Parks and the world-class experiences their 18,844 miles
    of trails provide are one of the most unifying forces in America. Well-
    maintained trails improve the quality of visitor experiences and
    enhance visitor safety. Yet the agency's deferred maintenance has grown
    significantly under several administrations and the associated
    reductions in adequate appropriations.
    Action:
      --Park Service Operations for the National Trails System must be
            maintained at a minimum of $16.5 million

        --Justification: The National Park Service has administrative
                responsibility for 23 National Scenic and Historic Trails
                established by Congress. Adequate funding is essential for
                keeping these popular trails accessible to the public.

      --Maintain funding for the Rivers, Trails, & Conservation Assistance
            (RTCA) program at $10.033 million

        --Justification: The RTCA program brings the expertise of over a
                century of land management to the greater recreation
                community. When a community asks for assistance with a
                project, National Park Service staff provide free critical
                tools for success, on-location facilitation, and planning
                expertise, which draw from project experiences across the
                country and adapt best practices to a community's specific
                needs.

      --Restore the Challenge Cost Share program, funding at $1.5 million

        --Justification: Challenge Cost share leverages private donations
                with public funding to maximize trail maintenance
                resources. This Program is intended to support specific
                National Park Service mission-related projects that align
                with goals of local project partners. These partnerships
                promote improved access and opportunities for outdoor
                recreation, environmental stewardship, and education in our
                National Parks, National Trails and/or Wild and Scenic
                Rivers.

      --Restore funding for Volunteers in Parks programs funding at $8
            million

        --Justification: Volunteers in Parks leverages private donation
                with public funding to maximize trail maintenance
                resources.

      --Fund Visitor Services subactivity, Youth Partnership Programs, at
            $10.95 million

        --Justification: The Youth Partnership Program in part funds the
                Public Land Corps program, which provides education and
                work opportunities for men and women aged 16-30. The NPS
                utilizes non-profit youth serving organizations to perform
                critical natural and cultural resource conservation
                projects at NPS sites. Without funding, projects completed
                by youth crews through these programs would not be
                accomplished. These projects range from masonry
                apprenticeships on historic structures to Tribal land
                improvements; to engaging other youth through coordination
                of culturally-based workshops and outdoor recreation clubs.
                        bureau of land management (blm)
        The BLM manages 13,468 miles of trails over 245 million surface
    acres in the United States-more than any other Federal land management
    agency. Most of the country's BLM-managed public land is located in 12
    Western States, including Alaska, and contains a diversity of
    landscapes that often provide the public less structured but
    nonetheless diverse and superlative recreational opportunities. BLM
    recreation resources and visitor services support strong local
    economies. More than 120 urban centers and thousands of rural towns are
    located within 25 miles of BLM lands.
    Action:
      --Fund National Conservation Lands at $84 million

        --Justification: National Conservation Lands funds enhance
                recreational access, conserve the Nation's heritage and
                manage these nationally recognized resources.

      --Fund National Conservation Lands--National Scenic Historic Trails,
            subactivity Recreation Resources Management at $9.9 million

        --Justification: Recreation Resources Management funding preserves
                and provides public access to and allows for the enjoyment
                of the 16 National Scenic and Historic trails across BLM
                managed land.

      --Increase Challenge Cost Share program funding at $3 million

        --Justification: Challenge Cost Share funds leverage private
                donation for public benefit, to maximize funding for trail
                maintenance and construction. Recreation projects build
                trails, obliterate road and trails, and enhance visitor
                recreation experiences on public lands. Projects improve
                and stabilize Riparian areas and washed out bridges or
                walkways. Overall, projects also include support for
                environmental education, University research, and
                interactive youth initiatives based on the programs within
                the BLM.
                       u.s. fish & wildlife service (fws)
        Located in every U.S. State and territory, and within an hour's
    drive of nearly every major U.S. city, National Wildlife Refuges
    provide incredible opportunities for outdoor recreation, including
    hiking, hunting, fishing, birding, boating and nature photography
    across 2,100 miles of trails. More than 37,000 jobs are reliant on
    refuges.
    Action:
      --Maintain Refuge Visitor Services at $73.319 million

        --Justification: Refuge Visitor Services provides funding for trail
                maintenance across FWS managed land.
           land & water conservation fund (lwcf)--across all agencies
        Congress recently showed overwhelming bipartisan support for the
    Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) when it permanently
    reauthorized the program in S. 47, the John D. Dingell, Jr.
    Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. Building upon this
    support, the committee must ensure that full funding of the program is
    provided at the $900 million level.
    Action:
      --Fund LWCF at the $900 million

        --Justification: The LWCF has funded nearly 1,000 trail projects
                across the country and countless other recreation and
                conservation projects in thousands of communities in every
                State. It's time for Congress to fulfill its promise to
                provide full funding to the LWCF.

      --Include within this appropriation $33.4M for National Scenic and
            Historic Trails projects

        --Justification: Many of the projects offer a unique opportunity to
                acquire lands that will help protect trails or close
                existing gaps between sections of these Congressionally-
                designated trails. Once land is acquired, volunteers and
                private funding stand ready to build/maintain the trails.
                This funding will protect 41 tracts along six national
                scenic and six national historic trails.
    21st century conservation service corps (21csc)--doi, usda (usfs), and
                                commerce (noaa)
        With the establishment of the 21st Century Conservation Service
    Corps (21CSC) as part of the Natural Resources Management Act of 2019,
    Congress recognized the need to address modern conservation,
    recreation, forestry, and infrastructure projects through cost-
    effective partnerships with Corps. We encourage you to continue this
    focus and make the additional investments necessary to carry its intent
    forward and put more young adults and recent veterans to work on the
    thousands of unmet needs on our public lands.
    Action:
      --Conservation Corps Report Language

        --Report Language: ``The Secretary of the Interior and the
                Secretary of Agriculture are encouraged to utilize, where
                practicable, Conservation Corps programs like the Public
                Lands Corps, 21st Century Conservation Service Corps, other
                related partnerships with Federal, State, local, Tribal or
                non-profit groups that serve young adults and veterans.''
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism
                               Association, Inc.
        Thank you Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall, and Members
    of the subcommittee, for the opportunity to provide written testimony
    on behalf of the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association,
    Inc. (AIANTA) on the importance of the Native American Tourism and
    Improving Visitor Experience Act of 2016 (NATIVE Act).
        AIANTA is the only organization specifically dedicated to advancing
    Indian Country tourism across the United States. AIANTA helps Tribes
    develop, sustain and grow tourism destinations through technical
    assistance, training and educational resources. Our mission is to
    define, introduce, grow and sustain American Indian, Alaska Native and
    Native Hawaiian Tourism that honors traditions and values.
                            fiscal year 2020 request
        The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA)
    requests a program amount of $5,400,000 for fiscal year 2020 to be
    included in the Bureau of Indian Affairs Community Development Central
    Oversight account to implement the Native American Tourism and
    Improving Visitor Experience Act of 2016 (NATIVE Act), including via
    cooperative agreements with Tribes and Tribal organizations.
        In fiscal year 2018 and again in fiscal year 2019, $3,400,000 was
    appropriated through Committee report language to be used by the Bureau
    of Indian Affairs Community Development Central Oversight account for
    NATIVE Act implementation.
                              native act progress
        The NATIVE Act is designed to ``enhance and integrate Native
    American Tourism, empower Native American communities, increase
    coordination and collaboration between Federal Tourism assets, and
    expand heritage and cultural tourism opportunities in the United
    States.''
        Since its passage and enactment, AIANTA was designated the lead
    Tribal organizational role in implementation of the NATIVE Act through
    a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of the Interior
    and the U.S. Department of Commerce signed in September, 2018. The lead
    role is natural to AIANTA because of its mission, which perfectly
    aligns with language of the NATIVE Act, as does the Tribal nonprofit
    organization's goals and ongoing projects and initiatives.
                            fiscal year 2020 funding
        Tribes in tourism, with AIANTA as their facilitator and convener,
    are requesting $5,400,000 in fiscal year 2020 to ensure implementation
    of the NATIVE Act accelerate. The funds will create opportunities for
    Native American, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native Tribes, Tribal
    tourism programs and Tribal members as outlined in the NATIVE Act
    implementation plan developed by AIANTA and a 5-year cooperative
    agreement between BIA and AIANTA. Implementation efforts using the
    funds will include technical assistance, training, curriculum
    development, professional tourism certification, a state-of-the-art
    Tribal tourism destination website, Tribal product assessment and
    development, training and marketing in domestic and international
    outreach, improved research, data collection and analysis, inclusion in
    Federal agency management planning across the Federal Government and
    Federal tourism and recreation websites.
        In support of the NATIVE Act, AIANTA intends to expand and
    formalize partnerships to include working more closely with the U.S.
    Department of Commerce and its divisions: National Travel and Tourism
    Office, International Trade Administration and Economic Development
    Administration and enter into a cooperative agreement to integrate
    Tribes into the research and development programs offered by Commerce.
        AIANTA will continue to work with the National Endowment for the
    Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Institute for Museum and
    Library Science, Administration for Native Americans, and in
    Smithsonian projects to ensure tourism Tribes are well represented in
    all Federal grant programs.
        AIANTA will continue to work with the National Park Service, Bureau
    of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service to ensure tourism Tribes
    are included in their management plans; collaborate with the U.S.
    Department of Labor on tourism workforce development and the U.S
    Department of Agriculture on Tribal tourism rural development
    opportunities.
        In addition, $2,000,000 of the $5,400,000 is requested for support
    of on-the-ground Tribal tourism planning, studies and projects for
    Tribes and Tribal organizations funded through the BIA Division of
    Energy and Economic Development in partnership with AIANTA and
    educational institutions that specialize and support economic
    development.
        indian country tourism contributes billions to the u.s. economy
        Currently, tourism is a leading opportunity for jobs and economic
    development in Indian Country. In some rural and remote communities, it
    is one of the only viable opportunities for household income. Indian
    Country tourism has a bright future that lies in the more than one
    billion leisure travelers in the world, and the interest of
    international visitors in the American Indian culture and what their
    communities offer--memorable and unique experiences, warm hospitality
    and unusual landscapes.
        According to U.S. Department of Commerce statistics, approximately
    1.9 million overseas visitors traveled to an Indian Country nation or
    destination in 2016 (most recent report). In total, those visitors
    represented approximately $8.5 billion in visitor spending across the
    country for that same year. Furthermore, these visitors are pre-
    disposed to spend more time in the U.S. and spend more money. Since
    AIANTA began working on international marketing and outreach,
    visitation to Native American communities from overseas has grown from
    700,000 in 2007 to 1.9 million in 2016, an increase of 180 percent.
        According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, when overseas
    travelers visit Tribal lands, they stay longer in the U.S.--an average
    of 12 additional days. Which means they spend about twice as much money
    as the average overseas traveler while they are here. They visit more
    States and cities, use more rental cars, and take more domestic
    flights. They visit more National Parks, small towns, art galleries and
    museums, fine restaurants, and cultural heritage sites compared to all
    overseas visitors. (Source: U.S. Department of Commerce National Travel
    and Tourism Office Inbound International Visitor Survey)
        With the targeted assistance and support of the NATIVE Act, AIANTA
    believes Tribes can significantly expand domestic and international
    visitors to Indian Country within 5 years. Currently, the only data
    available estimating overseas visitors to Indian Country is collected
    by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Based on this data, there were 1.9
    million overseas visitors to Indian Country in 2017, spending an
    estimated $8.5 billion per year throughout the United States. In the
    next 5 years, overseas visitors to Indian Country are projected to grow
    to 2.2 million and $9.4 billion annually. The increase represents
    approximately 4300 jobs. With additional NATIVE Act funding, more
    domestic visitors and their spending and job creation in Indian Country
    can be tracked.
      success of the native act secured through the aianta/bia partnership
        For a decade, through its cooperative agreement/grant with BIA
    Division of Transportation, AIANTA has nurtured a network of Federal
    agency, university and tourism industry partners and engaged national
    Indian and non-Indian nonprofits to leverage those Federal resources
    into an effective Tribal tourism network. With our partners, AIANTA and
    BIA have accomplished many milestones, including:

      --Delivered Tribal tourism technical assistance, created Tribal
            tourism curricula and developed a professional certificate-
            training program in cultural tourism and conducted webinar
            trainings.
      --Established a national Tribal destinations web site,
            NativeAmerica.Travel, for Tribes to market their destinations
            directly to the world's travelers.
      --Expanded partnerships to improve data collection and analysis.
      --Developed the first national resource database of Indian Country
            tourism assets to begin to demonstrate the growth and impact of
            cultural tourism for Indian Country and the greater U.S.A.
            economy and is expanding the database to identify proposed
            development and needs (technical assistance and training,
            infrastructure, connectivity, marketing, funding and more).
      --Gained national and regional recognition through grants and awards
            from private and public entities to further create
            opportunities for Tribes in tourism.
      --Established a presence for Tribes and Tribal businesses in
            international travel markets-participating in world travel
            marketplaces in Europe as well as IPW, U.S. Travel
            Association's leading international inbound travel trade show
            in the U.S. and venturing into the United Kingdom and Italian
            markets.
      --Encouraged project partnerships between Tribes and national parks
            and national public lands, conducted educational sessions in
            agritourism, organized a Federal land management working group,
            and discussed next steps in collaboration with the Federal
            agencies.
          accelerating tribal tourism development through native act
                                 implementation
        Fiscal year 2020 funding will:

      --Improve visitor data collection and analysis. Decision-making,
            business planning, applying for loans and attracting capital
            all require data collection and analysis. AIANTA cannot cite
            the number of.
      --tourism assets or domestic visitation to Indian Country because
            there is inadequate data. The data collection and analysis
            provision of the NATIVE Act will improve this deficiency.
      --Support the consultation process that provides for collaboration
            and cooperation between Federal agencies and Tribes on Tribal
            tourism priorities.
      --Promote greater awareness to Tribes on Federal programs that can
            support tourism capacity building and tourism infrastructure.
      --Increase international and domestic awareness of Tribal tourism
            destinations.
      --Integrate Native American, Alaska and Hawaiian Native culture into
            the visitor experience on public lands.
      --Increase tourism product and amenity development in Indian Country,
            promoting a better visitor experience.
      --Create innovative visitor portals between Tribes and parks,
            landmarks, heritage and cultural sites that showcase the
            diversity of indigenous people related to Federal lands.
      --Improve access to transportation programs that assist Tribal
            community capacity building for tourism and trade, including
            planning for visitor enhancement and safety.

        We are supported in the implementation of the NATIVE Act by the
    U.S. Travel Association, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Alaska
    Federation of Natives, All Pueblo Council of Governors, Nevada Inter-
    Tribal Council, Intertribal Transportation Association, Sitka Tribes of
    Alaska and many other organizations and Tribes.
                                   conclusion
        On behalf of Indian Country, AIANTA thanks Congress for its support
    of Tribal tourism. We look forward to working with this subcommittee,
    the Department of Interior and all Federal agencies included in the
    NATIVE Act mandate to assist tourism Tribes and share the results with
    you and all our Congressional supporters. Increased funding will help
    Tribes initiate programs and create business in Tribal tourism, while
    supporting cultural perpetuation in the arts, language, historic
    preservation, conservation and agriculture.

        [This statement was submitted by Camille L. Ferguson, Executive
    Director.]
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the American Institute of Biological Sciences
        The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) appreciates
    the opportunity to provide testimony in support of appropriations for
    the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Environmental Protection
    Agency (EPA), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and
    Smithsonian Institution for fiscal year 2020. We encourage Congress to
    provide the USGS with $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2020 and at least
    $234 million for the Ecosystems mission area within USGS. We further
    request that Congress provide EPA Science and Technology with at least
    $760 million, which was equal to the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. We
    also request the restoration of funding for Science Support in USFWS to
    the fiscal year 2019 enacted level of $17.3 million. Lastly, we urge
    Congress to provide new funding to the Smithsonian Institution and at
    least $53 million to support scientific and curatorial work within the
    National Museum of Natural History in fiscal year 2020.
        AIBS is a scientific association dedicated to promoting informed
    decisionmaking that advances biological research and education for the
    benefit of science and society. AIBS works to ensure that the public,
    legislators, funders, and the community of biologists have access to
    information to guide informed decisionmaking.
                             u.s. geological survey
        The USGS provides unbiased, independent research, data, and
    assessments that are needed by public and private sector decision-
    makers. Data generated by the USGS save taxpayers money by enabling
    more effective management of water and biological resources and
    providing essential geospatial information that is needed for
    commercial activity and natural resource management. The data collected
    by the USGS are not available from other sources.
        The Ecosystems activity within USGS is integral to the agency's
    other science mission areas. It conducts research required to
    understand the impacts of such things as water use and natural hazards
    on environmental systems. The USGS conducts research on and monitors
    fish, wildlife, and vegetation-data that informs management decisions
    by other Interior bureaus.
        Biological science programs, housed within the Ecosystems program
    area, collect and analyze long-term data not available from other
    sources. Other agencies, universities, and the private sector do not
    gather or maintain these data. The knowledge generated by USGS is used
    by Federal and State natural resource managers to maintain healthy and
    diverse ecosystems while balancing the needs of public use.

        Examples of successful USGS Ecosystem initiatives include:

      --Development of comprehensive geospatial data products that
            characterize the risk of wildfires on all lands in the United
            States. These products are used to allocate firefighting
            resources and to plan wildfire fuel reduction projects. These
            tools require current and accurate information about plant
            species distribution, biomass (e.g. amount of energy available
            for fire), and how different animals within the landscape
            influence the distribution of this vegetation.
      --Development and evaluation of control measures and other management
            interventions for Asian carp, sea lamprey, Burmese pythons, and
            other invasive species that cause billions of dollars in
            economic losses to fisheries, hydropower, recreation, and many
            other industries.
      --Development of the scientific understanding needed to combat the
            spread of avian flu, white-nose syndrome, chronic wasting
            disease, and other diseases spread by wildlife in North
            America, including diseases with the capacity to jump from wild
            populations to livestock, agricultural systems, and humans.

        The President's fiscal year 2020 budget request restructures the
    Ecosystems mission area to include programs formerly under Land
    Resources and Environmental Health mission areas, specifically the
    National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers, significant
    portions of Land Change Science, and Contaminant Biology. The budget
    does not merely reposition these programs, it proposes deep cuts
    (nearly 35 percent) to this important work. These cuts will harm USGS
    scientific research.

        Among the proposed cuts are:

      --Elimination of curation and research on fish, amphibians, reptiles,
            and mammals that is conducted by the Biological Survey Unit at
            the Smithsonian Institution. USGS has more than a million
            specimens of birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles that are
            housed at the Smithsonian for the benefit of the USGS and
            Department of the Interior. These curatorial and research
            positions are required to maintain and use these specimens and
            the data associated with them. This management arrangement has
            been in place since 1889. Elimination of this program
            jeopardizes the ability of the USGS to access timely and
            accurate data required for biodiversity research that informs
            species management decisions by other State and Federal
            agencies.
      --Elimination of the Cooperative Research Units (CRUs). CRUs are
            located on 40 university campuses in 38 States. These research
            centers are a cost-effective way for USGS to leverage research
            and technical expertise affiliated with these universities to
            conduct actionable research, provide technical assistance, and
            develop scientific workforces through graduate education and
            mentoring programs.
      --Reduced wildlife and fisheries research. The proposal includes
            reductions for species-specific research. USGS conducts this
            research for the benefit of Federal and State stakeholders.
            Without these research programs, USFWS, the National Park
            Service, and other Interior bureaus will lack the data required
            to fulfill agency missions to manage wildlife, as these
            agencies do not have scientific research capacities. Moreover,
            the USGS is a non-regulatory agency, which means that its
            research is independent of the entities responsible for
            developing and implementing rules and regulations.
      --Reduced research on diseases. USGS is the leading Federal agency
            conducting research on wildlife and fish diseases. The deep
            cuts proposed to Toxicological and Pathogenic Diseases would
            crush the agency's ability to provide other agencies with
            critical research, information, and technical assistance needed
            to economically and effectively control and limit disease
            spread and risk.
      --Reduced research on ecosystems of concern. This research is a
            critical component of efforts to restore important national
            resources, such as the Everglades and the Chesapeake Bay. The
            Arctic ecosystem research and monitoring program addresses the
            needs of Native communities, and also promotes public health
            throughout the U.S. by monitoring avian influenza, which can
            spread to humans.

        The President has also proposed drastic cuts to climate research.
    The National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (formerly
    regional Climate Science Centers) are responsible for developing the
    science and tools to address the effects of climate change on land,
    water, wildlife, fish, ecosystems, and communities. These centers play
    a vital role in addressing the impacts of unique weather patterns on
    ecosystem health in different areas across the country and are slated
    for a 46 percent budget cut under the new structure. This is
    irresponsible.
        We are pleased that the Invasive Species Program was spared from
    large cuts in the administration's request and we urge Congress to
    reject the deep cuts to other parts of the Ecosystems mission area. We
    understand USGS's efforts to realign programs to improve operational
    efficiency, but the devastating budget cuts proposed will hamper long-
    term data collection initiatives, lead to critical data loss, and
    undermine the Nation's ability to address national challenges.
        We request Congress fund USGS at $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2020,
    with at least $234 million for the Ecosystems mission area and restore
    funding for the Biological Survey Unit, CRUs, and ecosystems and
    climate research.
                        environmental protection agency
        Funding for EPA Science and Technology supports valuable research
    used to identify and mitigate environmental problems. EPA research
    informs decisions made by public health and safety managers, natural
    resource managers, businesses, and other stakeholders concerned about
    air and water pollution, human health, and land management and
    restoration. This program provides the scientific basis upon which EPA
    monitoring and enforcement programs are built.
        Despite the important role of EPA Science and Technology research,
    the proposed funding level for fiscal year 2020 is roughly half of what
    the program received in fiscal year 2002 and 35 percent below the
    fiscal year 2019 enacted level. We are concerned to see the proposed
    eliminations of the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Research Grants
    and the Global Change Research program, which develops scientific
    information that allows policy makers, stakeholders, and society to
    respond to climate change. These programs are important parts of the
    Federal Government's ability to ensure that people have clean air and
    water. The proposal also eliminates the Marine Pollution and National
    Estuary programs which are critical for protecting marine and coastal
    ecosystems.
        Please provide at least $760 million in fiscal year 2020 to support
    scientific research at the EPA.
                         u.s. fish and wildlife service
        The President's budget request once again eliminates the Science
    Support program within USFWS. In fiscal year 2019, Congress allocated
    $17.3 million for the program. This program provides scientific
    information needed by USFWS, such as research on conservation of
    priority species prior to Endangered Species Act listing, the impacts
    of energy production on wildlife, and best management practices for
    combating invasive species, and needs to be restored.
                            smithsonian institution
        The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History
    (NMNH) is a valuable Federal partner in the curation and research on
    scientific specimens. The scientific experts at the NMNH care for 140
    million specimens and ensure the strategic growth of this
    internationally recognized scientific research institution. To increase
    the availability of these scientific resources to researchers,
    educators, other Federal agencies, and the public, NMNH is working on a
    multi-year effort to digitize its collections. That effort will
    substantially increase the scientific uses of these collections.
        NMNH has also been working to strengthen curatorial and research
    staffing and to backfill positions left open by retirements and budget
    constraints. The current staffing level is insufficient to provide
    optimal care for the collections. Future curatorial and collections
    management staffing levels may be further jeopardized given the
    proposed funding cuts at science agencies, such as the USGS, that
    support staff positions at NMNH.
        The budget for NMNH has remained flat over the past 2 years. We
    urge Congress to provide NMNH with at least $53 million in fiscal year
    2020 to allow the museum to undertake critical collections care, make
    needed technology upgrades, and conduct cutting edge research.
                                   conclusion
        We urge Congress to reject the administration's budget request for
    fiscal year 2020 and continue the bipartisan tradition of investing in
    our Nation's scientific capacity. Thank you for your thoughtful
    consideration of this request.

        [This statement was submitted by Jyotsna Pandey, Ph.D., Public
    Policy Manager, and Robert Gropp, Ph.D., Executive Director.]

                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the American Samoa Government deg.
       Letter From the Office of the Governor, American Samoa Government

    April 1, 2019

    Senator Richard Shelby, Chairman     Senator Patrick Leahy, Vice
    Committee on Appropriations           Chairman
    United States Capitol, S-128         Committee on Appropriations
    Washington, DC 20510                 United States Capitol, S-146A
                                         Washington, DC 20510

    Senator Lisa Murkowski, Chairwoman   Senator Tom Udall, Ranking Member
    Subcommittee on Interior Appropria-  Subcommittee on Interior Appropria-
      tions                                tions
    131 Dirksen Senate Office Building   125 Hart Senate Office Building
    Washington, DC 20510                 Washington, DC 20510

        Dear Chairman Shelby, Vice Chairman Leahy, Chairwoman Murkowski and
    Ranking Member Udall:

        I am writing with regard to the fiscal year 2020 Interior,
    Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill. As you craft your
    bill, I would respectfully request that you provide at least the level
    of funding you provided in fiscal year 2019 for American Samoa
    Operations Grants within the Territorial Assistance program.
        In the best of times American Samoa faces serious financial
    challenges. Unlike other American territories, American Samoa does not
    enjoy the economic benefits of a robust tourism industry or the
    presence of a military installation. We have one significant private
    sector employer and our remote location makes it more expensive to do
    business from American Samoa than from other islands in the region or
    from Asia, placing us at a competitive disadvantage as we seek to
    attract more businesses.
        Our fragile economic position has been further challenged since we
    were victimized by Cyclone Gita in February 2018. Gita devastated our
    agricultural sector and caused widespread damage across the territory,
    something the Committee recognized in its Fiscal Year 2019 Interior
    Appropriations Report:

            ``American Samoa.--The Committee is concerned about the
            longterm impact of Cyclone Gita on American Samoa, particularly
            as it relates to impending increase in the minimum wage and how
            that will impact American Samoa's economy and its ability to
            recover.''

        I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to thank the
    Committee for including $5 million in supplemental nutrition assistance
    for American Samoa in the pending Fiscal Year 2019 Disaster
    Supplemental bill. Our hope is that this number will be increased to a
    total of $18 million so that the final amount will provide adequate
    assistance to our 2,600 farmers who lost an entire growing season,
    depriving them of not only their livelihood for the year but also the
    food with which these subsistence/backyard farmers feed themselves and
    their 13,000 dependents.
        It is in this overall context that I ask for your assistance with
    regard to the American Samoa Operations Grants program. As you well
    know the President's budget for fiscal year 2020 proposes funding of
    $21,529,000, a reduction of more than 9 percent from the $23,720,000
    included in the fiscal year 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act. While
    the difference in those amounts, $2,191,000, is no more than a rounding
    error in a $4 trillion Federal budget, it makes a very significant
    difference to our government's ability to provide essential services to
    our 60,000 citizens given our economic circumstances.
        Your thoughtful consideration of this request would be greatly
    appreciated.

    Sincerely,

    Lolo M. Moliga,
    Governor of American Samoa

    cc:  Honorable David Bernhardt, Acting Secretary of the Department of
    the Interior
      Honorable Douglas Domenech, Assistant Secretary, Office of Insular &
    International Affairs
      Honorable Lemanu Peleti Mauga, Lieutenant Governor
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the American Shore & Beach Preservation
                                  Association

                                                         April 11, 2019

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski
    Chairwoman
    Interior & Environment, Senate
     Appropriations Committee
    U.S. Senate
    Washington, DC 20510
                                                The Honorable Betty McCollum
    The Honorable Tom Udall                     Chairwoman
    Ranking Member                              Interior & Environment,
    Interior & Environment, Senate               House Appropriations
     Appropriations Committee                    Committee
    U.S. Senate                                 U.S. House of
    Washington, DC 20510                         Representatives
                                                Washington, DC 20515

    Dear Chairwomen Murkowski and McCollum and Ranking Members Udall and
    Joyce:

        Since 1926, the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association
    (ASBPA), a 501(c)3 non-profit, has been dedicated to preserving,
    protecting and enhancing our coasts by merging science and public
    policy. Our members are industry, local government officials, academics
    and residents of coastal districts; we are advocates for healthy
    coastlines.
        Testimony for Senate Interior, Environment and related agencies
    Appropriations subcommittee for fiscal year 2020, for the U.S.
    Geological Survey and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
    1.  Provide $46 million for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal-
            Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP)
        Coastal shoreline counties contribute $6.9 trillion to our GDP \1\.
    Coastal habitats including beaches, wetlands, mangroves and estuarine
    systems are some of the most ecologically productive and economically
    important on earth.\2\ But perhaps most importantly to communities that
    live along a coast, a healthy coastline provides protection of life and
    property from the hazards of living by the water--storm surge, waves,
    and sea level rise. With this in mind, we ask you to increase funding
    for USGS CMHRP beyond the administration's request.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ NOAA, State of the Coast, 2012. http://
    stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/.
        \2\ Barbier, Et al, ``The value of estuarine and coastal ecosystem
    services'', Ecological Monographs, 2011. http://www.esajournals.org/
    doi/pdf/10.1890/10-1510.1.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The research done by USGS CMHRP is critical for helping make
    coastal communities more resilient to extreme weather and less reliant
    on Federal recovery funds. Working with its partners, the CMHRP
    delivers actionable assessments of coastal hazards and helps to develop
    effective strategies for achieving more-resilient communities. For
    example, CMHRP plans to develop improved methodologies to measuring
    shoreline change data that covers not only sandy, but also coral and
    wetland shorelines. Leveraging this data and through enhancement of
    existing models, the CMHRP will be able to extend forecasts and
    projections of shoreline position to span time scales from single
    storms to the end of the current century. Federal, State, Tribal,
    local, and private-sector end-users incorporate these analyses to
    better understand, anticipate, and reduce their risks through science-
    based decisionmaking. Increased funding for the CMHRP will allow for
    improved real-time and long-term storm forecasts, as well as data
    characterizing protective dunes and beaches.
        ASBPA also strongly supports USGS's agency-wide efforts to provide
    critical tools and data to support coastal research and therefore
    improved coastal decisionmaking. Whether by tracking hydrologic
    contaminants, deploying tools to improve flood mapping or providing
    coastal LIDAR and imagery data-sets, USGS provides critical information
    to the entire coastal scientific community. These programs should be
    supported and funded to help improve the United States' ability to plan
    and prepare for coastal hazards.
    2.  Increase funding to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
            Marine Minerals Program (MMP) for environmental studies and to
            support:
              a. Conveyance of Sand Resources
              b. National Offshore Sand Inventory
              c.  Marine Mineral Information System

        As a means of improving their resilience to coastal hazards,
    communities are increasingly looking towards marine sediment for
    nature-based protection. The BOEM Marine Minerals Program (MMP)
    facilitates access to non-energy marine minerals, particularly sand and
    gravel, for shore protection and coastal restoration projects. The
    National Offshore Sand Inventory and the Marine Mineral Information
    System are excellent resources for managers to understand available
    resources while facilitating the sustainable and efficient management
    of our offshore marine minerals. As communities continue to increase
    their resilience and assess their adaptation options, BOEM MMP will be
    a critical piece to their success.
        Additionally, funding for environmental studies in the MMP will
    support the scientific research and long-term monitoring of these
    resources that will help reduce the impacts of these activities. For
    example, in fiscal year 2018, BOEM worked cooperatively with the Civil
    Works and Regulatory Programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to
    prepare several environmental documents and conduct independent reviews
    evaluating the potential impacts from beach nourishment and coastal
    restoration projects, including the dredging of Outer Continental Shelf
    (OCS) sand and its placement on recipient beaches. These efforts are
    vital to ensuring that the potential impacts of OCS activities on the
    environment are understood and that appropriate protective measures are
    applied.
        ASBPA also supports BOEM's proposed creation of a specific Marine
    Minerals budget activity line in fiscal year 2020.
    3.  Increase funding to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) to address
            permitting needs and reduce the consultation backlog
        Consultation with resource agencies helps identify effective
    mitigation practices to avoid or minimize harm to protected or managed
    species and habitat. Considering the backlog in consultation provided
    by the USFWS and the increase in coastal restoration and shore
    protection projects, ASBPA encourages an increase in funding to USFWS
    permitting resources to address these needs while still maintaining
    thorough and necessary permitting review.

    Sincerely,

    Derek Brockbank
    Executive Director

    cc:  Sens. Richard Shelby, Pat Leahy; Reps. Nita Lowey, Kay Granger;
    Chairs & Ranking Members, Appropriations Committee
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the American Society for the Prevention of
                               Cruelty to Animals
        On behalf of our over 2 million supporters, the American Society
    for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) appreciates this
    opportunity to submit testimony to the House Appropriations
    Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies. Founded in
    1866, the ASPCA is the first humane organization established in the
    Americas and serves as the Nation's leading voice for animal welfare.
    We request that the subcommittee consider the following concerns when
    making fiscal year 2020 appropriations.
                            wild horses and the blm
        In the over 45 years since Congress charged the Bureau of Land
    Management (BLM) with protecting our country's wild horses and burros,
    Americans have witnessed the agency's Wild Horse and Burro Program
    deteriorate into a continuous cycle of costly roundups and removals
    with little regard for the preservation-focused mandate specified in
    the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act or on-range management of
    the herds. Our wild horses and burros should be revered as historical
    icons, treated humanely, and managed fairly and respectfully on our
    public lands. Recognizing that the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program
    is in dire need of an overhaul, the ASPCA has partnered with a diverse
    group of stakeholders to propose a non-lethal, humane, and long-term
    approach to on-range management that would implement a sweeping
    fertility control program on the range and eventually release the BLM
    from a continuous cycle of round-ups, removals, and holdings. We
    appreciate BLM's acknowledgement of the need for reform in the Wild
    Horse and Burro Program and are encouraged by their recognition of the
    need for long-term strategies for on-range management that will require
    substantial investment of resources. This approach will, within a few
    years, provide significant relief for the range and enable all the
    stakeholders to come together around a single solution. It is critical
    for the agency to commit to non-lethal management rather than pressing
    to relax legal restrictions on sale to slaughter or mass killing of
    healthy horses. It is also critical for the agency to augment its
    capacity for gathers and focus its attention on the high priority HMAs
    where horses, wildlife and the range are most at risk. It is imperative
    that robust fertility control work begin immediately.
    Prohibit BLM Funding for Euthanasia or Sale of Wild Horses as
            Management Methods
        In December 2004, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations
    Act for fiscal year 2005, which amended the Wild Free-Roaming Horses
    and Burros Act to allow for the sale of certain wild horses and burros.
    This instant transfer of title from the U.S. Government to the
    individual purchaser strips key protections for wild mustangs and
    burros, making them vulnerable to the still-thriving horse slaughter
    industry. Additionally, we take issue with the characterization of
    large-scale killing of healthy wild horses as ``euthanasia.'' The
    agency currently has the authority to euthanize old, sick or injured
    horses, but not healthy horses, as a means of population control. If
    allowed, destruction of healthy horses would most likely be
    accomplished using gunshot from some distance. That is not humane
    euthanasia.
        In past appropriations bills, Congress has repeatedly confirmed its
    opposition to the slaughter of our Nation's wild horses and burros; it
    did so most recently in the fiscal year 2019 Consolidated
    Appropriations Act, the current funding vehicle for the Department of
    Interior. The ASPCA requests that the subcommittee continue to include
    the following language: ``Appropriations herein made shall not be
    available for the destruction of healthy, unadopted, wild horses and
    burros in the care of the Bureau or its contractors or for the sale of
    wild horses and burros that results in their destruction for processing
    into commercial products.''
    Prohibit Forest Service Funding for Euthanasia or Sale of Wild Horses
            as Management Methods
        Past appropriations bills have not explicitly prohibited the Forest
    Service, which also manages wild horses and burros under the 1971 Act,
    from managing horses through lethal methods. This loophole was recently
    exploited when managers of the Modoc National Forest proposed selling
    wild horses from the Devil's Garden herd without limits on slaughter.
    The House Interior subcommittee has included new language to address
    this deficiency in their draft fiscal year 2020 bill. The ASPCA
    requests that the subcommittee include the following language in the
    Senate bill: ``Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall not be
    available for the destruction of healthy, unadopted, wild horses and
    burros in the care of the Forest Service or its contractors or for the
    sale of wild horses and burros that results in their destruction for
    processing into commercial products.''
    implement Existing, and Explore New, Methods for On-Range and Off-Range
            Management
        The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act makes clear that on-
    range management should be preferred over roundup and removal as the
    primary method of wild horse management. BLM has multiple options at
    its disposal to follow that guidance. Effective, humane management will
    require a multifaceted approach. We suggest that the following
    strategies be implemented simultaneously:

      --Conduct targeted gathers and removals at densely populated Herd
            Management Areas (HMAs) to reduce herd size in the short term.
      --Treat gathered horses with fertility control prior to returning
            them to the range. This program should continue until 80-90
            percent of mares on the range have been treated, followed by
            continued consistent fertility control.
      --Relocate horses in holding facilities, and those taken off the
            range, to large cost-effective pasture facilities funded
            through public-private partnerships.
      --Promote adoptions in order to reduce captive populations and costs.

        The four tiers of this approach--gathers and removals, fertility
    treatment, public-private partnerships, and adoptions--are crucial to
    the ultimate success of the program. Failure to effectively implement
    any part of this program jeopardizes the success of a holistic and
    sustainable wild horse and burro program. If employed correctly, this
    plan will result in a natural population decline over the next decade.
    We support this humane, effective, and financially sustainable
    approach.
        The ASPCA appreciates BLM's public acknowledgement that fertility
    control methods must be a significant part of wild horse population
    management. Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP), the contraceptive vaccine
    that has been used for decades to manage horse and deer populations, is
    registered by EPA and commercially available. In fiscal year 2018, the
    BLM administered 702 fertility control treatments.\1\ If PZP is to be a
    serious part of the solution, its use must be increased to levels that
    will significantly impact population growth. A 2013 National Academy of
    Sciences report noted the promising capabilities of this and other
    forms of chemical fertility control.\2\ The ASPCA recommends that the
    subcommittee direct BLM to prioritize the use of fertility control to
    stem the population growth of wild horse and burro herds.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ ``Program Data.'' U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of
    Land Management. April 27, 2018. https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-
    horse-and-burro/about-the-program/program-data.
        \2\ ``Using Science to Improve the BLM Wild Horse and Burro
    Program: A Way Forward.'' National Research Council. The National
    Academies Press, 2013.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The ASPCA strongly encourages the subcommittee to prioritize and
    robustly fund humane on-range management methods, and innovative and
    humane off-range programs, as it crafts the fiscal year 2020 Interior
    appropriations bill.

        [This statement was submitted by Nancy Perry, Senior Vice
    President, Government Relations.]
                                     ______

                Prepared Statement of the Americans for the Arts
        Chairman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony
    in support of Federal funding for the National Endowment for the Arts
    (NEA) at no less than $167.5 million for fiscal year 2020, a $12.5
    million increase over fiscal year 2019 funding. This would also match
    the funding level that the U.S. House Appropriations Interior
    Subcommittee approved on May 15, 2019.
        Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for
    advancing the arts and arts education in America. We have more than 55
    years of service and are dedicated to representing and serving the more
    than 5,000 local arts agencies in every State. Together we work to
    ensure that every American has access to the transformative power of
    the arts. I appreciate the opportunity to provide public comment on the
    budget request for the NEA.
        I was deeply troubled by the administration's short-sightedness for
    the proposed fiscal year 2018, 2019, and 2020 budgets calling for the
    elimination of the NEA. I commend the bipartisan work from this
    committee, and Congress, in rejecting those requests, and I know that I
    speak for the arts community in our appreciation to Congress in
    appropriating an additional $2 million in funds for the NEA in fiscal
    year 2019 over fiscal year 2018.
        Receiving consecutive years of incremental funding increases, the
    NEA's investment in every congressional district in the country now
    contributes to a $804.2 billion arts and culture industry in America
    according to our U.S. Department of Commerce, representing 4.3 percent
    of the annual GDP. The Nation's arts and culture industry supports 5
    million jobs and yields a $25 billion trade surplus for our country.\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, https://www.bea.gov/system/
    files/2019-03/acpsa0319.pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        This recent study by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis also
    found that 13 States had an average annual growth rate above the
    national average of 5.9 percent, as measured over the three-year period
    of 2014-2016. These States were the fastest-growing for the percentage
    of their gross State product coming from arts and cultural industries
    and include: California (7.8 percent), Tennessee (7.8 percent), Florida
    (7.1 percent), Montana (6.6 percent), and Oregon (6.5 percent).
        Further, every NEA grant dollar leverages at least $9 in private
    and other public funds, generating more than $500 million in matching
    support. This leveraging power far surpasses the required non-Federal
    match of at least 1:1 and illustrates why Federal support for the arts
    is uniquely valuable. The Federal investment in the arts helps power
    the creative economy across the country.
        Proportionally, the NEA's budget is just 0.004 percent of the
    Federal budget. That amounts to 47 cents per capita. In fact, the NEA
    budget has been losing its share of Federal discretionary spending and
    failing to keep pace with inflation since 1992 when the appropriation
    was for $176 million. When adjusted for inflation, the NEA's 1992
    budget would today be more than twice the current budget.\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ Americans for the Arts, https://www.americansforthearts.org/
    sites/default/files/1.%20National%20Endowment%20for%20the%20Arts_0.pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Regarding our request for fiscal year 2020, we hope that the NEA
    will receive funding at the same level as the recent high point of
    $167.5 million, which Congress appropriated on a bipartisan basis in
    fiscal year 2010.
        We estimate that a $12.5 million increase, based on current NEA
    programming would provide:

      --An increase in the total amount for direct endowment grants by
            about $6 million.
      --An increase in the total number of direct grants by about 210.
      --An increase of $4 million to the NEA's State partnership agreement,
            which would result in about 2,000 additional State grants.
      --With the NEA estimation of a 9:1 return for each direct grant
            dollar, an 8 percent funding level increase would be expected
            to leverage an additional $40 million in non-Federal matching
            support.

        NEA grants are remarkably far-reaching, and they touch many
    communities which have fewer opportunities to experience the arts.
    According to the NEA, the majority of direct grants go to small- and
    medium-sized organizations, which often support projects for audiences
    that otherwise might not have access to arts programming. In fiscal
    year 2017:

      --Small-sized organizations (less than $500,000 in prior year
            expenditures) received 31 percent of the NEA's direct grants;
      --Medium-sized organizations ($500,000 to $2 million in prior year
            expenditures) received about 34 percent; and
      --Large organizations (over $2 million) received 35 percent of direct
            grant awards.

        In examining the communities that NEA grants touch, it is important
    to note that:

      --40 percent of NEA-supported activities take place in high-poverty
            neighborhoods;
      --36 percent of NEA grants go to organizations that reach underserved
            populations such as people with disabilities, people in
            institutions, and veterans; and
      --33 percent of NEA grants serve low-income audiences.\3\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ National Endowment for the Arts, https://www.arts.gov/sites/
    default/files/NEA_Quick_Facts_2018_V.1.pdf.

        I'd like to highlight one very important NEA initiative--that of
    the Creative Forces program. An increase in funding for the NEA is
    vital in order to sustain and expand important work that serves the
    needs of military service members and veterans who have been diagnosed
    with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health conditions.
    Much of this work is being supported through targeted programs such as
    the NEA's Creative Forces Military Healing Arts Network (administered
    through a cooperative agreement with Americans for the Arts), as well
    as community arts engagement programs receiving Federal grants and
    State and local arts agencies. The modest investment in government
    funding for arts and health in the military is instrumental in allowing
    military service members and veterans to heal and successfully
    reintegrate into society and their communities, as well as supporting
    military families and caregivers in their pathway to health and well-
    being.
        The Creative Forces program--currently at 11 clinical sites--
    utilizes 14 NEA-funded and four DoD/VA-funded creative arts therapists
    (CATs), who are integrated into interdisciplinary treatment teams
    providing art therapy, music therapy, dance/movement therapy, and
    creative writing instruction for service members with TBI and
    associated psychological health issues. In 2018, more than 16,000
    patient encounters took place, and over 3,000 new patients were served.
    Additionally, the program significantly invests in related research,
    with 11 new studies underway and nine already published.
        Throughout the country, we see an increase of arts and military
    programs funded by State and local public and private sources catalyzed
    by the Federal investment. Many of the creative arts therapies and
    community arts engagement programs that are making a difference in the
    lives of our military service members, veterans, their families, and
    caregivers are being documented and networked through Americans for the
    Arts' National Initiative for Arts & Health in the Military. Several
    examples here are administered and take place in your districts:

      --The Montana Museum of Arts & Culture at the University of Montana
            in Missoula, Montana, features an exhibit of the POW collection
            of art by veteran and artist Ben Steele. Mr. Steele, 98, who
            lives in Billings, is a World War II veteran and Bataan Death
            March survivor. As a prisoner he created drawings documenting
            the Japanese invasion of the Philippines and the capture of
            POWs. These artworks are among the very few firsthand accounts
            of the Bataan Death March.
      --Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, Mississippi, with the Sonny Montgomery
            VA Center hosted the 2016 National Creative Arts Festival Stage
            Show. Each year approximately 120 Veterans from VA medical
            facilities across the Nation exhibit their artwork or perform
            musical, dance, drama, or original writing selections that are
            chose from year-long competitions held at their local
            facilities.
      --Military Experience & the Arts in Morgantown, West Virginia, works
            with veterans and their families to publish creative prose,
            poetry, and artwork. Volunteers include college professors,
            professional authors, veterans' advocates, and clinicians.
            Veterans and their families pay nothing for the services.
      --The Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, Missouri, is designated
            nationally as a Blue Star Museum, a collaboration between the
            NEA, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and Museums
            Across America. Spiva Center for the Arts' Vet Art program was
            established in early 2017 to serve military veterans in the
            Joplin region. Vet Art offers free art workshops to veterans
            and their families providing camaraderie, reintegration into
            their communities, and an outlet for self-expression.

        Continuing and expanding creative arts therapies and community arts
    engagement programs is essential to reaching military veterans with TBI
    and post-traumatic stress. For example, 85 percent of military patients
    say art therapy is helpful to their healing and military patients
    consistently rate art therapy among the top four treatments out of more
    than 40 health interventions offered.
        This work is vital for active duty military, staff, veterans, their
    families, and caregivers across the military, public, private, and
    nonprofit sectors. It will advance the policy, practice, and quality
    use of arts and creativity as tools for health in the military, better
    ensuring the readiness, resilience, and retention, while assisting the
    eventual reintegration from military to civilian life.
        In sum, Federal funding fosters investment, spurs job-related
    growth, expands educational opportunities, helps our country, and
    provides for the preservation of our heritage.
        Thank you for your consideration and support of at least $167.5
    million for the NEA in the fiscal year 2020 budget, and, as always, we
    stand ready to assist and remain focused on increasing funding for the
    Endowments in the coming months.
                                     ______

               Prepared Statement of the Animal Welfare Institute
        The Animal Welfare Institute, a national animal welfare advocacy
    nonprofit organization, asks the subcommittee to maintain adequate
    funding levels for crucial wildlife programs and to include measures to
    protect wild horses, bats, and other at-risk species.
      bureau of land management (blm)--wild free-roaming horses and burros
        The BLM continues to mismanage America's wild horses and burros,
    relying on an endless cycle of costly removals from public lands
    instead of implementing viable solutions, such as immunocontraception
    to control fertility rates and manage these animals in their natural
    habitats. We ask the Committee to urge the agency to implement the use
    of the porcine zona pellucida (PZP) vaccine, as per the National
    Academy of Sciences recommendation. Moreover, we strongly support the
    continued inclusion of the Committee's language to ensure that the BLM
    does not destroy wild horses and burros: ``Appropriations herein made
    shall not be available for the destruction of healthy, unadopted, wild
    horses and burros in the case of the Bureau or its contractors or for
    the sale of wild horses and burros that results in their destruction
    for processing into commercial products.''
        The BLM is attempting for the third time to move forward with a
    controversial experiment using federally protected horses that would
    subject wild mares to an invasive surgical procedure known as
    ``ovariectomy via colpotomy,'' which involves blindly locating the
    ovaries and severing them using a rod-like tool while the animal
    remains conscious. In its report on wild horse management, the NAS
    explicitly warned BLM against using this procedure due to the risks of
    serious complications. We ask the Committee to include language
    ensuring that funds shall not be made available to implement the
    ``ovariectomy via colpotomy'' experiments, as well as report language
    directing the BLM to forgo using wild horse and burro management
    methods that the NAS has recommended against using.
              forest service--wild free-roaming horses and burros
        In the fall of 2018, the Forest Service announced that it would
    sell rounded-up wild horses from the Devil's Garden wild horse
    territory without restrictions or limitations on slaughter. The FS has
    traditionally abided by Congress's clear intent on this matter--namely,
    the explicit restrictions enacted through the Interior appropriations
    bill to prevent the BLM from selling wild horses for slaughter.
    However, the FS now contends that the agency is not covered by this
    language, and seeks to move forward with plans to sell federally
    protected wild horses ``without limitation.'' Appropriations language
    is needed to clarify that the FS is similarly bound by restrictions
    regarding the commercial destruction of wild horses. We urge the
    Committee to incorporate language that mirrors the provisions that bar
    the BLM from facilitating the destruction of healthy, unadopted wild
    horses and burros. The recently released fiscal year 2020 House
    Interior bill includes such language, so we urge the Senate to do the
    same.
                                 trophy hunting
        We urge you to include language prohibiting the use of funds for:

      --Issuing any permit authorizing import into or export from the
            United States of a sport-hunted species that is listed or
            proposed to be listed under section 4(c) as a threatened
            species or endangered species.
      --Issuing any permit authorizing import from any country of a sport-
            hunted threatened or endangered species until the Secretary
            determines that the country where the animal was killed
            adequately provides for the conservation, monitoring, and
            reporting for that species, including but not limited to:
          (A)  the country where the animal was killed has a management
                plan for that species based on the best available science
                that addresses existing threats to the species; provides a
                significant conservation benefit to the species; formally
                coordinates with adjacent countries to protect
                transboundary populations; and ensures that any take is
                sustainable and does not contribute to the species' decline
                in either the short-term or long-term according to current
                population estimates derived through use of the best
                available science;
          (B)  the management plan required in subsection (3)(A) is fully
                funded and is being actively implemented; and
          (C)  the country where the animal was killed demonstrates
                transparency, accountability, and verifiability in
                governance to ensure that any benefits, including revenue
                from such taking, materially, directly, and substantially
                benefits the conservation of that species.
      --Issuing any permit authorizing import from any country of a sport-
            hunted threatened or endangered species until the Secretary has
            made a finding, after public notice and comment pursuant to
            section 553 of title 5 USC, that hunting of the species in such
            country enhances the propagation or survival of the species.
      --Issuing any permit authorizing import of a sport-hunted trophy of
            an elephant or lion taken in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, or Zambia.

        In 2014 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a rule
    banning the importation of African elephant trophies from Tanzania and
    Zimbabwe into the United States. A 2016 decision by the U.S. District
    Court of the District of Columbia upheld FWS's 2014 ban, finding that
    sport hunting of elephants in Zimbabwe would not enhance the survival
    of the species. In addition, the FWS suspended imports of sport-hunted
    African lions after they were listed under the Endangered Species Act
    in 2015. However, since October 2017, FWS has tried to reverse the bans
    on importing both African elephant and lion trophies. In March 2018, in
    apparent disregard for President Trump's negative comments regarding
    trophy hunting, the agency issued a memo announcing that decisions
    about whether to approve importation of sport-hunted elephant and lion
    trophies would be made on a ``case-by-case basis,'' rather than having
    rules that apply to specific species and countries of origin.
                  international wildlife conservation council
        We urge you to include language prohibiting the use of funds for
    the International Wildlife Conservation Council of the United States
    Fish and Wildlife Service.
        The stated goal of the International Wildlife Conservation Council
    is to boost public awareness of the ``benefits that result from U.S.
    citizens traveling to foreign nations to engage in hunting.'' However,
    trophy hunting is unethical, unpopular, and of unproven conservation
    value. Furthermore, the IWCC is duplicative of other councils and a
    wasteful use of government funding. The Federal Advisory Committee Act
    requires that ``new advisory committees should be established only when
    they are determined to be essential and their number should be kept to
    the minimum necessary.'' This council is not essential, and its
    function is already covered by the very broad mandate of the Wildlife
    and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council. Despite its nonessential
    function, this 18-person council meets twice per year with ``travel
    expenses, including per diem,'' covered by US taxpayer dollars. The
    makeup of this new council is also of significant concern, with
    designated seats for representatives of the firearms and ammunition
    industries, who have no scientific or conservation expertise. There is
    no seat at the table for experts with a scientific or conservation
    focus. Furthermore, the Trump administration has already abandoned
    other, more legitimate and effective efforts to address these issues.
    For instance, the administration has not held a meeting of the Wildlife
    Trafficking Advisory Council or the Federal Interagency Task Force on
    Wildlife Trafficking created by President Obama.
                trapping-funding request: $300,000 over 3 years
        We urge you to direct the Secretary to institute a 3-year pilot
    program that replaces the use of body-gripping traps by agency
    personnel with humane alternative methods and equipment with only 2
    exceptions: When the body-gripping trap is used either to (1) control
    documented, invasive species to achieve resource management objectives
    where humane alternative methods are documented to have been
    ineffective; or (2) protect a species that is listed as an endangered
    or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531
    et seq.) or is treated by the Forest Service as a sensitive species and
    where humane alternative methods are documented to have been
    ineffective. The exceptions apply only under the following conditions:
    (1) such use of a body-gripping trap is in accordance with applicable
    State and Federal law; (2) prior to using a body-gripping trap, all
    available humane alternative methods for such control or protection,
    respectively, are attempted; and (3) such attempts are documented in
    writing, and such documentation is maintained at the headquarters of
    the department that employs the individual engaging in such attempt,
    and is published on the department's website.
        Body-gripping traps, such as strangling snares, Conibear traps,
    steel-jaw leghold traps, and enclosed foothold traps, are inhumane and
    inherently nonselective. The nontarget animals caught in these traps
    include threatened and endangered species, as well as family pets.
    These traps do not belong on public lands where families enjoy spending
    time outdoors, and where anyone who trips a trap can become a victim.
          u.s. fish and wildlife service: ecological services funding
        We are deeply concerned by a lack of adequate funding for
    Ecological Services, and urge the Committee to commit the maximum
    possible funding to this crucial program area responsible for
    implementing the Endangered Species Act. The fiscal year 2019 funding
    level of $247.8 million is barely sufficient for the agency to carry
    out basic administrative functions required under the ESA, and does not
    enable the staffing necessary to address the backlog of hundreds of
    species awaiting listing decisions or other time-sensitive actions
    mandated by the law. ES requires a budget of at least $486 million
    across its five programs to begin to make up for lost ground and put
    species on the path to recovery. Critically, this includes ensuring
    every listed species receives a minimum of $50,000 per year for
    recovery.
                    national wildlife refuge system funding
        We support the administration's proposed fiscal year 2020 increase
    of $23 million for the National Wildlife Refuge System, given the
    crucial role that refuges across the country play in species
    conservation and nonconsumptive outdoor recreation.
                    usfws: office of law enforcement funding
        We support the administration's proposed fiscal year 2020 increase
    of $327,000 for the Office of Law Enforcement at FWS. In particular, we
    support the increase of $986,000 for the wildlife trafficking account.
    The OLE is one of the most important lines of defense for wildlife both
    at home and abroad.
                      usfws: international affairs funding
        We support the administration's proposed fiscal year 2020 increase
    of $807,000 for International Affairs. In particular, we support the
    additional $1 million for the wildlife trafficking account. The
    activities undertaken by IA build capacity and develop partnerships
    with other nations for species conservation, which enables maximum
    cooperation in fighting the terrorist organizations and international
    crime syndicates that profit from wildlife trafficking. It is important
    to ensure adequate funding to continue implementing Public Law 114-231,
    the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Act
    of 2016. Additionally, adequate funding for implementation of
    agreements made under the Convention on International Trade in
    Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) facilitates
    international cooperation and solidifies the US's leadership role on
    conservation issues.
                          white-nose syndrome in bats
        We urge the Committee to maintain funding amounts and directives
    from S. Rpt. 115-276, as endorsed by the fiscal year 2019 Consolidated
    Appropriations Act, H. Rpt. 116-9: Fish and Wildlife Service Science
    Support, $3.5 million (including $2 million for species recovery); FWS
    Wildlife Program, $2.5 million for WNS studies; and to continue to lead
    on and implement the North American Bat Monitoring Program.
        Thanks to consistent funding from Congress, the USFWS and its
    partners have made great strides in understanding and responding to
    WNS. The success of the national plan is heartening not only for the
    long term survival of bats but also for being a template for responding
    to future disease outbreaks. According to USFWS scientist Jeremy
    Coleman, who oversees the plan, ``the multidisciplinary efforts
    spearheaded by USFWS represent the kinds of strategy needed for future
    responses to such epidemics. WNS and other fungal pathogens-diseases-
    that harm wildlife are on the rise, due to increased human visits to
    previously remote places . . . and also climate change . . . ''

        [This statement was submitted by Nancy Blaney, Director, Government
    Affairs.]
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in
       Historic Preservation, Hispanic Access Foundation, and Latinos in
                             Heritage Conservation

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski         The Honorable Tom Udall
    Chairman                             Ranking Member
    Subcommittee on Interior,            Subcommittee on Interior,
     Environment and Related Agencies     Environment and Related Agencies
    Senate Committee on Appropriations   Senate Committee on Appropriations
    131 Dirksen Senate Office Building   131 Dirksen Senate Office Building
    Washington, DC 20510                 Washington, DC 20510

    Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation,
    Hispanic Access Foundation, Latinos in Heritage Conservation, and the
    undersigned 43 groups and 66 individuals encourage the Committee on
    Appropriations to support the Underrepresented Communities Civil Rights
    Grant with a $30 million appropriation for fiscal year 2020.
        Funded through the National Park System's Historic Preservation
    Fund (HPF), the Underrepresented Communities Civil Rights Grant program
    would use non-tax payer dollars to partner with States and Tribes to
    help save important places in our communities. The HPF provides
    matching grants to State and Tribal historic preservation offices to
    support surveys of historic resources, training, nominations to the
    National Register of Historic Places, and grants to local
    jurisdictions. HPF was established in 1977, is currently authorized at
    $150 million per year, and is funded by Outer Continental Shelf oil
    lease revenues, not tax dollars. These funds are spent locally on
    preservation projects, with selection decisions made at the State
    level. In short, it makes preservation possible.
        Historic preservation projects assisted by grants like the existing
    African American Civil Rights Grant Program generate billions of
    dollars in heritage tourism annually, while helping public and private
    partners tell unique and powerful stories of the African American
    struggle for equality in the 20th Century.
        The expansion of the program to the Underrepresented Communities
    Civil Rights Grants will increase the program's impact by not only
    documenting, interpreting, and preserving the sites and stories related
    to a more inclusive story of American history, but also increasing the
    audience appeal for such projects. This proposed program expansion is
    an opportunity to multiply the economic impact of the existing program
    across the United States.
        A review by the National Historic Landmarks Committee found that
    less than 8 percent (8 percent) of designated landmarks specifically
    represented the stories of Native Americans, African Americans,
    American Latinos, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, women, LGBTQ, and
    other underrepresented groups. There are few sites associated with
    these groups despite their long histories in the United States from the
    earliest settlement of the country to the economic development of the
    West to the desegregation of public schools in the 20th century and
    political influence in the 21st.
        Including women, these groups make up more than 50 percent of the
    U.S. population. Representation matters; this Federal grant will allow
    us to narrate our stories, which may be misrepresented or otherwise
    ignored within a larger society, with accuracy and dignity. This
    promotes understanding and compassion and has the power to lessen
    social inequalities.
        All Americans should be able to see themselves, their history, and
    their potential in both our collective story and our national
    landscape. As you consider fiscal year 2020 funding levels, we hope
    that you will continue the broad bi-partisan support for this National
    Park Service grant program that is vitally important to preserving so
    many more of our great American stories.

        Sincerely,

    Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation
    Hispanic Access Foundation
    Latinos in Heritage Conservation

    Co-Signed by:

    2021
    African American Community, Cultural, and Educational Society
    Alamo City Democracy Project
    American Anthropological Association
    American Association for State and Local History
    American Cultural Resources Association
    Asian American Studies Department and Center, UCLA
    Coalition for American Heritage
    Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation
    Curba
    Chispa, League of Conservation Voters
    Documents of Resistance
    Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
    Filipino American National Historical Society--Metro New York City
    Chapter
    Filipino American National Historical Society
    GLBT Historical Society
    Hispanic Federation
    Indiana Landmarks
    Landmarks Illinois
    Latino Outdoors
    National LGBTQ Center for the Arts
    National Parks Conservation Association
    National Trust for Historic Preservation
    Native American Land Conservancy
    Native Womens Wilderness
    Nature For All
    OCA Greater Chicago
    Pratt Institute
    Preservation Chicago
    Preservation Texas
    Society for American Archaeology
    Society for Historical Archaeology
    Spanish Heritage Foundation of Riverside
    St. Mary's University
    Tataviam Land Conservancy
    The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)
    Turning Wheel--University of San Diego
    UC Davis Library/Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies
    University of California, Riverside Public History Program
    University of Houston
    University of Maryland, College Park
    UT Austin
    Westside Preservation Alliance

    Stuart Berman
    Cathie Bond
    Tanya Bowers
    Caroline Calderon
    Antonia Castaneda, PhD
    Marsh Davis
    Rachel Delgado
    Lisa DiChiera
    John Dichtl
    xenia diente
    Doreen Duran
    Maria Espinosa
    Henry Flores
    Moises Garcia
    John Gonzalez
    Jaylyn Gough
    Sarah Zenaida Gould, PhD
    Catherine Gudis, PhD
    Estella Habal, PhD
    Lawana Holland-Moore
    Celeste Hong
    Judy Jauregui
    Rita Jirasek
    Nicole Johnson
    Lewis Kasner
    Alvina Lai
    Kristi Lin
    Kelly Lizarraga
    Mary Losh
    Jose Madrid
    Michelle Magalong, PhD
    Magda Mankel
    Nancy Melendez
    Mabel Menard
    Ward Miller
    Jane Montanaro
    Helen Mora
    Beatrice Moreno
    Sehila Mota Casper
    Ron Muriera
    Adam Natenshon
    Kim Orbe
    Gregg Orton
    Alberto Pulido
    Ray Rast, PhD
    paul ruiz
    RoxanneRyce-Paul
    Graciela Isabel Sanchez
    Allan Jason Sarmiento
    Erica Schultz
    Mary Lu Seidel
    Antonio Serna
    Carol Shull
    Monica Sosa
    Alan Spears
    Roberto Tejada
    Evan Thompson
    Edward Torrez
    Joseph Trujillo
    Sharon Trujillo-Kasner
    Karen Umemoto, PhD
    Luis Villa
    Bill Watanabe
    Shayne Watson
    Lily Anne Welty Tamai

                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water System
             fort peck reservation rural water system ($3,210,000)
        The Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water Supply System (ASRWSS)
    submits this testimony in strong support of continued Operations,
    Maintenance, and Replacement Costs associated with the Fort Peck
    Reservation Rural Water System in the Bureau of Indian Affairs'
    Construction Account. The water system is authorized by an act of
    Congress (Public Law 106-382).
        The Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water Supply System Board is a
    newly tribally chartered agency charged with the construction and
    operation of the Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water Supply System, which
    is the part of the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System that is on
    the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. We are strong partners with Dry
    Prairie Rural Water Supply System, which operates the part of the
    Project that is off the Reservation.
        The most basic of governmental function is the delivery of clean,
    safe drinking water and we are honored that the Fort Peck Tribal
    Executive Board has entrusted to us this most basic duty of government.
    The ASRWSS wants to thank the subcommittee for the full funding of
    Operations, Maintenance, and Replacement (OM&R) costs of the Water
    Project at $2,634,000 in fiscal year 2019.
        As the Project works toward completion our OM&R needs continue to
    increase. Thus, for fiscal year 2020 we will need an additional
    $576,000 for total level of funding at $3.210 million OM&R funding for
    the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System for fiscal year 2020,
    within appropriations to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
    Construction account.
        This funding increase of $576,000 is necessary for this System to
    safely operate with the correct level of staff and operating supplies,
    including chemicals. The System will provide drinking water to more
    than 20,000 residents in Northeast Montana in 2020 and several social
    and governmental agencies, including the BIA Agency Office, Poplar
    Schools, and Poplar hospital, Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge,
    Fort Union Trading Post National Historic site, as well as several
    towns including Wolf Point, Frazier, Culbertson, and Medicine Lake. The
    population served at the end of 2016 was less than 10,000. By the end
    of 2020, a projected 98 percent of the current Reservation Service
    population will be served.
        The Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System was authorized by the
    Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000, Public Law 106-
    382. The measure ensures a safe and adequate municipal, rural and
    industrial water supply for the residents of the Fort Peck Indian
    Reservation and assists the citizens of Roosevelt, Sheridan, Daniels,
    and Valley Counties in Montana develop safe and adequate municipal,
    rural and industrial water supplies.

        As noted in the President's previous budget requests:

            Groundwater from shallow alluvial aquifers . . . for the
            municipal systems . . . is generally poor with concentrations
            of iron, manganese, sodium, sulfates, bicarbonates and total
            dissolved solids above recommended standards.

        We must timely remedy this health risk.

        The Project called for the construction of a single treatment plant
    on the Missouri River near Poplar, Montana that distributes water
    through 3,200 miles of pipeline to both the Reservation Tribal system
    and, through three interconnections, to the Dry Prairie system. A
    single water source on the Missouri River replaced nearly two dozen
    individual community water sources ensuring a clean, plentiful and safe
    water supply.
        As a result of the success of the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water
    System, both on the Assiniboine and Sioux Reservation and off-
    Reservation communities, alternative water sources have been capped.
    There is no safe, reliable alternative if the on-Reservation 30,000
    square foot water treatment plant, Missouri River intake, pumping
    stations and related infrastructure were to cease operations.
        The Federal legislation authorizing the Fort Peck Reservation Rural
    Water System requires that the OM&R of the Assiniboine and Sioux Rural
    Water Supply System--the portion on the Reservation that is held in
    trust by the Federal Government--be paid in full by the BIA as a
    Federal obligation. This is consistent with the Federal trust
    responsibility to the Tribes who were promised a permanent home when we
    agreed to move to the Reservation. A permanent home requires safe
    drinking water. If this funding is not made available to the Tribes,
    this system will have to shut down and all of the people, towns, and
    Federal, Tribal, State, public and private agencies, and businesses
    will have no source of drinking water.
        Thus, the $3.210 million requested in fiscal year 2020 for the OM&R
    of this vital infrastructure project is critical. At about 1 percent of
    the total $300-plus million Federal investment in the project, the OM&R
    costs to protect public health and the Federal investment made over the
    last 17 years is a wise and prudent use of Federal funds--and
    represents good stewardship of the Federal investment of taxpayer funds
    in the infrastructure project.
        The increased funding of $576,000, over the fiscal year 2019 level
    for the OM&R of the Project, is needed as the Project buildout
    continues and has increased the population served by the rural water
    system. The expansion of the system requires additional personnel and
    other costs (power, chemicals, repairs, replacements and improvements)
    to operate and maintain the water treatment plant and associated
    facilities, including the intake, pipelines, pumping stations and
    reservoirs, to continue to meet the expanded service. Already, short-
    life components of the rural water system must be replaced to maintain
    the peak efficiency and reliability of the system.
        If Congress does not appropriate the required funds for OM&R, as
    the law states, then this System will not operate, and the people of
    Northeast Montana will have no drinking water.
        Again, we thank the subcommittee for the continued support of the
    Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System.

        [This statement was submitted by Bill Whitehead, Chairman.]
                                     ______

    Prepared Statement of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck
                                  Reservation
        I am Floyd Azure, Chairman of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of
    the Fort Peck Reservation. I would like to thank the Senate
    Appropriations Subcommittee for the opportunity to submit testimony
    concerning fiscal year 2020 appropriations for the Bureau of Indian
    Affairs (BIA) and Indian Health Service (IHS).
        The Fort Peck Reservation is in northeast Montana, 40 miles west of
    the North Dakota border, and 50 miles south of the Canadian border,
    with the Missouri River defining its southern border. The Reservation
    encompasses over two million acres of land. We have approximately
    12,000 enrolled Tribal members, with approximately 7,000 Tribal members
    living on the Reservation. We have a total Reservation population of
    approximately 11,000 people.
        Congress has long recognized that the foundation for economic
    development and prosperity in Indian Country lay in community
    stability, which begins with infrastructure such as safe drinking
    water, roads, public safety, and healthcare. We thank the subcommittee
    for its longs standing support of Tribal programs within the Bureau of
    Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education and Indian Health Service
    which are core Federal programs serving the Fort Peck Reservation and
    our members. We cannot support the President's budget proposal which
    proposes cuts to programs vital to Tribes. In our view, reducing funds
    for these Federal program--critical to addressing the many challenges
    facing Tribal governments and Indian people--is poor policy.
         human services: substance abuse, suicide, indian child welfare
        We appreciate the subcommittee's continued commitment to addressing
    substance abuse and the consequential challenges that arise from this
    plague. When someone is suffering from addiction it is not just the
    person who is impacted, but the entire family. For Tribal communities,
    it is the entire Tribe that bears the impacts of families torn apart by
    substance abuse. We face higher poverty, higher foster care rates,
    higher suicide rates, and in the end our people die at far younger ages
    than the rest of the United States.
        This last summer we had a rash of heroin overdoses, including two
    fatal overdoses in 1 month. Every month a child is born testing
    positive for meth or some other drug. We have entire families that are
    using, from grandmothers to grandchildren. There is no doubt that
    addiction is the leading cause of the 100 children that we have in
    foster care now. We, as a people, cannot survive if we do not
    acknowledge that what we are doing now is not working.
        This level of social dysfunction in communities is no doubt the
    cause of the high suicide rate in our communities. The suicide rate on
    Montana Reservations is 22 percent higher than the rest of Montana. And
    for Fort Peck, a 2016 study indicated that 13 percent of our youth
    attempted suicide, that means that more than 1 in 10 of our children
    have tried to take their own lives.
        While these statistics are startling, the tragedy is overwhelming
    for our families and communities because each of these statistics is a
    child, mother, father, sister, or brother. This last summer on our
    Reservation Michael Lee, a 13-year old boy took his life. This boy,
    this baby really, had a family that loved him. He played sports. He was
    determined to go to college. In many people's minds he had so much
    promise and was fortunate to have a family to support him. But
    something happened to him and we lost this child. Who knows what we as
    a Tribe lost because this young man lost hope and took his own life. He
    could have been a Tribal leader, a teacher, a scientist, a doctor, or
    maybe what we need most, a strong role model as a father. I can only
    tell you that it is time that we stop burying our children and start
    working together to combat this tragedy.
        We would urge the Members of the subcommittee to continue to
    emphasize the need for additional mental health and substance abuse
    treatment services in Indian Country. In particular, we support the
    effort to develop a Special Behavioral Pilot Program similar to the
    Special Diabetes for Indians Program to combat behavioral/mental health
    issues among American Indian and Alaska Natives in a holistic and
    culturally appropriate way. We know that having a consistently funded
    program directly targeted to combating diabetes has reduced amputations
    and lowered diabetes rates throughout Indian Country. It is time that
    we have the same kind of program to target behavioral and mental health
    issues that our Tribal members face.
        We also continue support the increased funding for BIA Social
    Service Programs, including our Indian Child Welfare programs, and the
    Tiwahe Initiative. We have to address these issues in a holistic
    fashion. We must work with individuals as they work to rebuild their
    lives and their families. We cannot look at a person as one
    dimensional. The same person who is dealing with addiction is often
    dealing with child custody issues, health issues, housing issues, and
    criminal issues. Thus, we need a team of people and programs to work
    collaboratively with a person to attack each of these challenges. These
    challenges can and often do overwhelm Tribal members. But if they know
    that there is a network of Tribal services and programs and dedicated
    people to help them stand on their own and work through their life's
    challenges, they can gain the confidence to improve themselves and
    return to their families and community as productive individuals.
                              bia road maintenance
        We are again appreciative of subcommittee's recognition of the
    importance of transportation safety and economic development on Indian
    reservations by increasing fiscal year 2020 funding for the BIA Road
    Maintenance Program to $35.8 million. Motor Vehicle deaths on
    Reservations is one of the leading causes of deaths in Indian Country
    and the poor condition of our roads is no doubt a leading factor in
    this.
                   fort peck reservation rural supply system
        I want to express my appreciation to the subcommittee for its
    continued support of the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System. The
    full funding that the subcommittee provided in fiscal year 2019 is
    critical to the continued operation of this vital project. I also fully
    endorse the funding request of the Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water
    Board, a newly chartered Tribal Agency now charged with the
    construction and operation and maintenance of this critical rural water
    system.
                                   conclusion
        We thank the subcommittee for the opportunity to present testimony
    concerning the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service
    fiscal year 2020 budget.
                                     ______

    Prepared Statement of the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies
        On behalf of the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies
    (AAPCA),\1\ thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony
    regarding the fiscal year 2020 budget for the U.S. Environmental
    Protection Agency (EPA). AAPCA's State and local members are directly
    responsible for planning and implementing air quality regulations
    designed to protect public health, and believe that stable and adequate
    resources are core to fulfilling Clean Air Act obligations. As your
    subcommittee begins the fiscal year 2020 appropriations process, AAPCA
    members specifically request that State and local air quality
    management grants under the State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG)
    program be funded at a level at least equal to fiscal year 2019.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ AAPCA is a national, non-profit, consensus-driven organization
    focused on assisting State and local air quality agencies and personnel
    with implementation and technical issues associated with the Federal
    Clean Air Act. AAPCA represents more than 45 State and local air
    agencies, and senior officials from 22 State environmental agencies sit
    on the AAPCA Board of Directors. AAPCA is housed in Lexington, Kentucky
    as an affiliate of The Council of State Governments. More information
    regarding AAPCA can be found at: www.cleanairact.org.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J. Res. 31), signed
    into law on February 15 of this year, provided approximately $3.605
    billion in funding for the STAG program. Of this funding, $1.077
    billion was directed to categorical grants, including $228.219 million
    for State and Local Air Quality Management Grants and $87 million for
    the Diesel Emission Reductions Grant program, an increase of $12
    million from fiscal year 2018 enacted levels.\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ H.J.Res.31--Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law
    116-6). Funding levels prior to rescissions.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The investment in these programs, which can make up to an average
    of 27 percent of environmental agency budgets,\3\ provide critical
    assistance to State and local air agencies, which maximize these funds
    through strict budgeting, creative programming, and best practices.
    Activities that are funded include a broad range of responsibilities
    essential to fulfilling Clean Air Act mandates, include planning,
    training, developing emissions inventories and rules, modeling,
    monitoring, permitting, inspections, and enforcing key elements of the
    National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), air toxics, and
    regional haze programs. By amplifying Federal grant resources,
    especially under Section 103 and 105 of the Clean Air Act, agencies
    have achieved significant success in air quality.\4\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ https://www.ecos.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/fiscal year 18-
    EPA-Budget-Letter.pdf.
        \4\ AAPCA, State Air Trends & Successes: The StATS Report, April
    22, 2019
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The President's budget proposal for fiscal year 2020 was released
    by the White House on March 11, 2019, and requests $6.068 billion for
    U.S. EPA, or $2.76 billion (31 percent) less than appropriated by
    Congress in fiscal year 2019.\5\ U.S. EPA's Fiscal Year 2020
    Justification of Appropriation Estimates for the Committee on
    Appropriations details a proposed 35 percent reduction in funding for
    the STAG program, including a nearly 45 percent reduction in
    categorical grants.\6\ The budget request for U.S. EPA also seeks a 30
    percent decrease in funds for State and local air quality management
    grants, along with the proposed elimination of several air quality
    programs.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \5\ https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/budget-
    fy2020.pdf.
        \6\ https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/cj.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        AAPCA recognizes that your subcommittee is in the early stages of
    the fiscal year 2020 appropriations process and appreciates that
    Congress did not adopt figures similar to those proposed by the
    administration for the past two fiscal years. In fact, since fiscal
    year 2009 the annual change in funding for State and local air quality
    management grants has been less than 3 percent, with an average of $230
    million provided each of those years.\7\ AAPCA members believe that
    these long-term, stable resources have had consequential impacts on air
    pollution control efforts that have been able to accommodate
    substantial national economic and population growth.\8\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \7\ Figures assume dollars not adjusted for inflation.
        \8\ U.S. EPA, Our Nation's Air: Status and Trends Through 2017,
    July 31, 2018. Section: Air Quality Improves as America Grows.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        In addition to funding State and local air quality management
    grants at a level at least equal to fiscal year 2019, AAPCA members
    would also like to highlight the importance of retaining funding for
    fine particulate matter (PM2.5) monitoring under Section 103
    of the Clean Air Act, rather than through Section 105. Section 103 does
    not require State and local agencies to match funds, as is stipulated
    in Section 105. Should this funding authority be transitioned as
    proposed,\9\ agency budgets could be adversely impacted.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \9\ U.S. EPA, ``fiscal year 2020 National Program Manager Guidance
    Monitoring Appendix,'' March 2019. DRAFT.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        As your subcommittee develops the budget for U.S. EPA through the
    appropriations process, AAPCA members ask for continued stability and
    support of funding to carry out core Clean Air Act activities.
    Appropriately funded State and local air quality management grants
    underscore foundational components of cooperative Federalism, allowing
    air agencies to continue the important and essential work that has
    driven success in air quality and provide stability for entities that
    rely on their expertise.
        Thank you for your attention to this testimony. AAPCA's State and
    local members look forward to working with your Subcommittee as
    Congress develops its priorities for fiscal year 2020 appropriations.
    If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Jason Sloan, Executive
    Director, at jsloan@csg.org.

     Sincerely,

     Nancy Vehr
     Administrator, Air Quality Division,
     Wyoming Department of Environmental
       Quality
     President, AAPCA
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
        Thank you for the opportunity to submit recommendations for fiscal
    year 2020 appropriations. The Association of Fish and Wildlife
    Agencies' (AFWA) mission, which has not changed significantly from our
    founding in 1902, is to protect State agency authority to conserve and
    manage the fish and wildlife within their borders, and all 50 States
    (States) are members. We strive to facilitate cooperation between State
    and Federal agencies, conservation NGOs, and private landowners to
    conserve our Nation's fish, wildlife, and their habitats.
        Thank you for the final fiscal year 2019 funding levels for fish,
    wildlife, and conservation programs, and we look forward to working
    with you as we enter another challenging budget cycle and fiscal
    environment to enact consistent funding levels with fiscal year 2019,
    and in some cases higher. Fish and wildlife conservation programs need
    funding today to preclude more costly Federal endeavors tomorrow. We
    will not succeed by trying to balance the budget on the backs of
    conservation programs. A continuation of this policy will prove only to
    be costlier in the long-term.
                 united states fish and wildlife service (fws)
        Fish and Aquatic Conservation (FAC).--Of priority is the National
    Fish Hatchery Operations line item that supports the Aquatic Animal
    Drug Approval Partnership (AADAP), Fish Health Centers, Fish Technology
    Centers, Fish Hatcheries, Fish Passage, the National Fish Habitat
    Partnership, Wild Fish Health Survey, and Mass Marking program all of
    which meet needs of States, Tribes, and the Federal Government. The
    need for FDA-approved drugs for use in aquaculture and fisheries
    management is a national challenge, and AADAP provides the
    ``cornerstone'' of partnership efforts. AFWA recommends maintaining
    fiscal year 2019 funding levels for National Fish Hatchery Operations
    and programs, and we request $11 million more for the mass marking
    initiative in the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes region, of
    which $4.5 million is for the Great Lakes region. Funding for the
    deferred maintenance of the National Fish Hatchery System must be
    increased to avoid hatchery system failures.
        AFWA is concerned that the FWS is not utilizing its fiscal year
    2018 and fiscal year 2019 increased AADAP line item appropriations
    fully and in a timely manner, and current spending is not sufficient to
    meet the intent of the program or the needs of State and private
    partners. Also, failure of equipment or structure at one of the
    National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS) facilities could result in the
    loss of species that provide for recreational opportunities, unique
    genetic strains of imperiled species, and multiple year classes of
    species used for restoration efforts. There are about $180 million in
    deferred maintenance needs for the NFHS, and of the previous
    appropriations directed to the FWS for deferred maintenance. We
    appreciate Congress addressing deferred maintenance needs for the NFHS
    and National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) in fiscal year 2018 and
    fiscal year 2019, but not enough funds are being allocated to the NFHS.
        Aquatic Habitat and Species Conservation.--We support funding the
    National Fish Habitat Action Plan at $7.2 million to provide funding
    for coordination and restoration projects to the 20 approved fish
    habitat partnerships across the country with projects benefitting fish
    and fish habitat, anglers, and local communities. Fish Passage needs
    far outweigh the resources for species management and replacement of
    unsafe transportation infrastructure. We support funding Fish Passage
    at fiscal year 2018 levels and strongly support incorporating
    additional fish passage funding into Federal infrastructure plans. We
    request Congress restore funding for implementation of State Aquatic
    Nuisance Species (ANS) management plans to $4.4 million, without
    compromising other ANS programs. Further, $25 million is needed to
    implement the national Asian carp management and control plan in
    ``Mississippi River and Tributaries''.
        National Wildlife Refuge System.--We support funding NWRS
    Operations and Maintenance at no less than $510 million in fiscal year
    2020.
        Habitat Conservation.--AFWA recommends maintain funding at fiscal
    year 2019 levels but requests no less than $2,500,000 in additional
    funds to support the Partners in Fish and Wildlife Program for
    voluntary conservation of wildlife migration corridors and habitats to
    support implementation of Secretarial Order (SO) 3362.
        State and Tribal Wildlife Grants.--The State and Tribal Wildlife
    Grants program is the only Federal program available to States to
    leverage non-Federal funds to conserve over 12,000 State Species of
    Greatest Conservation Need identified in State Wildlife Action Plans to
    prevent them from becoming threatened or endangered. This investment in
    voluntary, proactive, and State-led conservation is needed now to
    address the list of declining species and to preclude an increase in
    Federal expenditures in the future under the Endangered Species Act
    (ESA). Further, this program is not well suited to implement SO3362,
    and the Association supports funding those activities out of a
    different account. The Association recommends $90 million for the State
    and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program in fiscal year 2020, same as the
    fiscal year 2010 enacted level. To truly address these growing
    challenges, we ask Congress to enact the Recovering America's Wildlife
    Act, which would provide States and their conservation partners with
    the dependable resources to do proactive, non-regulatory fish and
    wildlife conservation--a modern enhancement in how we finance the full
    array of diverse fish and wildlife conservation for current and future
    generations.
        AFWA recommends no less than $42 million for the North American
    Wetlands Conservation Fund in fiscal year 2020.
        Ecological Services (ES) & Cooperative Endangered Species
    Conservation Fund (CESCF).--The FWS needs additional resources in ES to
    address a growing workload and to increase FWS recovery efforts for
    federally listed species. Insufficient funds to meet growing demands
    has resulted in ongoing policy riders stemming from ESA tensions, some
    of which can be alleviated with increased funding. We support increased
    funding for ES and recommend $85 million for the CESCF in fiscal year
    2020. Further, we support sufficient funding for success of the
    Recovery Challenge Grant Program.
        We recommend $5 million for the Neotropical Migratory Bird
    Conservation Fund and recommends maintaining fiscal year 2019 funding
    for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund.
        Science Applications (SA).--SA provides a critical science
    coordination functions such as Species Status Assessments, regional
    science initiatives to address threats to wildlife and habitats across
    broad landscapes, integrated scientific efforts for elusive species
    like wolverine, and support on White-nose Syndrome. We recommend
    increasing fiscal year 2019 levels for SA activities by at least $5
    million to facilitate implementation of SO3362 and the wildlife
    migration corridor initiative and to fund important regional State-
    Federal partnerships and research efforts which are supported by the
    States.
        Migratory Bird Conservation Program (MBCP).--The FWS and States
    share management jurisdiction for migratory birds, and migratory bird
    conservation represents one of the most successful State-Federal
    cooperative partnerships for over 80 years, but the program suffers
    from chronic under-funding of traditional functions and activities,
    making it particularly vulnerable to unanticipated problems and single
    points of failure. The FWS has gone to great lengths to protect the
    core functions, but more funding is needed to retain sufficient staff,
    fill key vacancies, and support science to inform decisionmaking. AFWA
    supports robust funding for the MBCP near fiscal year 2010 levels with
    a total budget of $55 million, including full funding of the Migratory
    Bird Joint Ventures at $19.9 million, allowing us to accomplish shared
    State and Federal responsibilities.
        The Association recommends $450 million for the Land and Water
    Conservation Fund in fiscal year 2020. We support robust funding for
    the State-side programs of the LWCF. Many rural communities rely on the
    State-side programs for playgrounds, sports courts, and other
    amenities.
        The Association recommends $76.5 million for the Forest Legacy
    Program in fiscal year 2020.
                     united states geologial survey (usgs)
        Ecosystems.--AFWA strongly supports an increase of $6.6 million in
    appropriations for the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
    Program (CRU) to $25 million. The CRU program provides critically
    important scientific and technical support for State and Federal fish
    and wildlife managers through collaborative scientific projects that
    address the Nation's most critical fish and wildlife management needs
    and inform policy decisions. This increase will enable USGS to fill the
    39 current staff vacancies nationwide and establish new research units
    in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Nevada. AFWA supports the National
    Cooperators Coalition's testimony on CRUs. Further, we support the
    Ecosystems Science Centers and the National Wildlife Health Center,
    which provides critical scientific support and coordination on Chronic
    Wasting Disease (CWD) and financial support to the Southeastern
    Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the University of Georgia, which
    provides essential diagnostic and veterinary support services to 42
    States. We request Congress increase funds to the Fisheries Program by
    no less than $3.5 million to avoid fish center closures across the
    country, loss of critical research on the health of wild fisheries
    which is imperative to State and Federal managers, and the loss of
    jobs. It is also imperative that Congress provide an additional $1
    million to support implementation of a National Academies of Sciences
    study on the transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in deer species,
    which will be managed in part by USGS Ecosystems. We support
    maintaining fiscal year 2019 funding at a minimum for the remaining
    BLIs in USGS Ecosystems.
        Core Science Systems.--AFWA supports maintaining funding for USGS
    Core Science Systems including for the Integrated Taxonomic Information
    System, Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation, and the USGS
    database of Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
                         bureau of land managment (blm)
        Additional needs for wildlife habitat, migration corridors, and
    conservation--AFWA supports additional resources to BLM to manage wild
    horses and burros at appropriate management levels to reduce herd
    impacts on native fish and wildlife and competition for food, water,
    and resources. AFWA also supports increased funding for ongoing sage-
    grouse, sagebrush, wildfire, and invasive species activities. Many
    partnerships have been generated through BLM's sage-grouse efforts and
    actions through the DOI SO 3362. This will require additional funds for
    an array of activities to address identified barriers to wildlife
    migrations, facilitate habitat connectivity, and implement actions to
    reduce wildlife-highway conflicts. AFWA supports an additional $10
    million for Wildlife Habitat Management, Wild Horse and Burros,
    Rangeland Management, Oil and Gas Management, and Land and Water
    Conservation Funds to meet these needs. We support a $5 million
    increase for Rangeland Improvement and Bighorn sheep disease
    prevention, and $10 million in additional funds for Wildlife Habitat
    Management (1170) are needed to address invasive species affecting
    habitat quantity and quality on big game winter range, summer range,
    and in migration corridors. This would supplement existing funding
    through the range management program that addresses management of
    invasive species. Finally, AFWA recommends the subcommittee reinitiate
    BLM's Cost-Share Challenge Grant Program under Wildlife Habitat
    Management at $10 million to leverage current momentum and partnerships
    to accomplish more wildlife habitat goals and mission objectives.
    Further, we do not support funds being redirected away from accounts
    intended to benefit fish, wildlife, and habitat to pay for the
    management of wild horses and burros.
                      united states forest service (usfs)
        The President's fiscal year 2020 budget request recommends a merger
    of multiple BLIs to simplify time coding, increase efficiencies, and
    simplify accounting processes. However, AFWA is concerned that
    combining into one BLI Hazardous Fuels with Wildlife and Fisheries
    Management and others could result in funds being diverted away from
    fish and wildlife programs. We look forward to working with you on a
    solution that provides accountability and simplification.
        Reinvesting in Habitat and Access.--Thank you for your work in the
    115th Congress to end the problem of fire-borrowing. Now Congress must
    ensure that the funds made available by stabilizing the agency budget
    against rising firefighting costs are reinvested back into the programs
    and natural resources that have fiscally suffered from previous fire-
    borrowing activities. AFWA recommends increasing funding for forest
    health and management, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, and
    access in the fiscal year 2020 appropriations.
        Research and Development.--AFWA strongly supports maintaining
    funding for Research and Development for fisheries and wildlife program
    areas in fiscal year 2020.
                     environmental protection agency (epa)
        Finally, we recommend maintaining fiscal year 2019 funding for all
    Geographic Programs, the National Estuaries Program, and the Beach/Fish
    Safety Program.
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the Association of State Drinking Water
                                 Administrators
        Summary of Request: The Association of State Drinking Water
    Administrators (ASDWA) submits the following recommendations for fiscal
    year 2020 appropriations on behalf of the drinking water programs in
    the 50 States, 5 territories, District of Columbia, and Navajo Nation.
    ASDWA requests funding for two programs that ensure public health
    protection and that will result in enhancing economic stability and
    prosperity in American cities and towns. ASDWA requests $125 million
    for the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) program and $1.30
    billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF)
    program. ASDWA also requests $45 million for three drinking water grant
    programs to address lead in schools and communities.
    overview: the importance of safe drinking water for our communities and
            the economy & the role of state drinking water programs
        States need sustained Federal support to maintain public health
    protection and to support the needs of the water systems they oversee.
    State drinking water programs strive to meet the Nation's public health
    protection goals through two principal funding programs: the Public
    Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program and the Drinking Water State
    Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF) Program. These two programs provide most of
    the funding for States to work with drinking water utilities to ensure
    that American citizens will have safe and adequate water supplies.
        Vibrant and sustainable communities, their citizens, workforce, and
    businesses all depend on a safe and reliable supply of drinking water.
    Economies only grow and sustain themselves when they have safe and
    reliable water supplies. Over 90 percent of the population receives
    water used for bathing, cooking, and drinking from a water system that
    is overseen by State drinking water program personnel. Water systems--
    as well as the cities, villages, schools, and businesses they support--
    rely on State drinking water programs to ensure they comply with all
    applicable Federal requirements.
        In addition to the water we drink in our homes, water produced by
    water systems is also used to fight fires, transport wastewater, cook,
    wash clothes and dishes, as well as by businesses for manufacturing,
    food processing, and cooling. State drinking water programs must have
    adequate funding to protect public health and maintain the economic
    health of communities. Incidents such as the chemical spill in
    Charleston, West Virginia, algal toxins in the water for Toledo, Ohio
    and Salem, Oregon, and the lead leaching from service lines into the
    water supply in Flint, Michigan all serve as stark reminders of the
    critical nature of the work that State drinking water programs do--
    every day--and the reason why the funding for State drinking water
    programs must be not only be sustained but enhanced. More recently, the
    discovery of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination
    adds to the urgency of the need for funding.
    state drinking water programs: how they operate, why support is needed,
                    and justifications for requested amounts
    The Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program
        How the PWSS Program Operates: To meet the requirements of the
    SDWA, States have accepted primary enforcement responsibility for
    oversight of regulatory compliance and technical assistance efforts for
    more than 150,000 public water systems to ensure that potential health-
    based violations do not occur or are remedied in a timely manner. This
    involves 91 federally regulated contaminants and the complexity of
    regulations has increased in the past decade. Beyond the contaminants
    covered by Federal drinking water regulations, States are also
    implementing an array of proactive initiatives to protect public health
    from ``source to tap.'' These include source water assessments and
    protections, technical assistance for water treatment and distribution,
    and enhancement of overall water system performance. Recently, many
    States have begun to set drinking water standards for non-federally
    regulated contaminants, such as PFAS. State activities go well beyond
    simply ensuring compliance at the tap and these activities have to be
    efficient given continued resource and funding constraints.
        Why Adequate Support is Needed: States will be unable to protect
    public health without increased Federal funding. Inadequate Federal
    support for State drinking water programs has several negative
    consequences. For example, consider the proposed Long-Term Revisions to
    the Lead and Copper Rule (LT-LCR). As part of ASDWA's comments on EPA's
    Federalism Consultation, ASDWA conducted a Costs of States' Transaction
    Study. The resulting data estimated that the costs of States' staff
    time for the LT-LCR would be in the range of 72%-95 percent of current
    PWSS funding. Without additional funding, this important rule will be
    an unfunded mandate for States. Many States are facing difficult
    choices on what implementation activities to not do, such as providing
    less technical assistance to systems that need it. Others are looking
    to EPA for assistance, which is challenged by similar resource
    constraints and lack of ``on the ground'' expertise. States want to
    offer the flexibilities allowed under existing rules to local water
    systems, however, fewer State resources mean less opportunity to work
    individually with water systems to improve their systems and protect
    public health.
        State drinking water programs are already hard pressed financially
    and the funding gap continues to grow. State-provided funding and fees
    to the water systems have historically compensated for insufficient
    Federal funding, but State budgets have been less able to bridge this
    funding gap in recent years. Insufficient Federal support for this
    critical program increases the likelihood of scenarios that put the
    public's health at risk. The administration's fiscal year 2020 request
    of $67.9 million represents a 33 percent decrease for PWSS funding from
    the $101.9 million that was appropriated for the PWSS program in fiscal
    year 2019. This level of funding has not been seen since 1995, nearly
    25 years ago. This is an untenable situation, as the long-standing
    regulatory oversight remains constant and several non-regulatory
    actions such as addressing PFAS, algal toxins, and providing oversight
    for the development of water systems' inventories of lead service lines
    have increased States' workloads. States always step in to help solve
    problems and return systems to providing safe water as quickly as
    possible. Any reduction in Federal funding for State water programs, no
    matter how small, exacerbate the existing financial difficulties.
        For the PWSS Program in Fiscal Year 2020, ASDWA Respectfully
    Requests $125 Million: The number of regulations requiring State
    implementation and oversight as well as performance expectations
    continue to grow while the Federal funding support has been essentially
    ``flat-lined.'' Inflation has further eroded these static funding
    levels. The requested funding amount is based on ASDWA's December 2013
    Resource Needs Report and begins to fill the above-described resource
    gap. The funding gap identified in the 2013 report is compounded by
    inflation and non-regulatory activities yields a total funding gap of
    73.3 percent for State drinking water programs, as outlined in ASDWA's
    2018 Beyond Tight Budgets report. Increased PWSS funds are urgently
    needed for implementing existing drinking water rules, taking on new
    initiatives, and to account for the eroding effects of inflation. It is
    a small price to pay for protecting the health of the Nation.
    The Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund Program
        How the DWSRF Program Operates: Drinking water in the U.S. is among
    the safest and most reliable in the world, but it is threatened by
    aging infrastructure. Through low interest loans provided by the DWSRF,
    States help water utilities overcome this threat. Since its inception,
    the DWSRF has touched millions of Americans through projects that
    enhance drinking water capabilities at water utilities. In the core
    DWSRF program, $19.8 billion in cumulative Federal capitalization
    grants since 1997 have been leveraged by States into over $38.2 billion
    in infrastructure loans to 14,500 communities, large and small, across
    the country. 26 percent of the cumulative DWSRF assistance, including
    negative interest loans and principal forgiveness, has been provided to
    disadvantaged communities. Such investments pay tremendous dividends--
    both in supporting our economy and in protecting our citizens' health.
    For every $1 invested in the DWSRF from the Federal Government, $1.95
    has gone to help communities. States have effectively and efficiently
    leveraged Federal dollars with State contributions.
        An important feature of the DWSRF program is the State ``set-
    aside'' fund component, a key reason to fully fund this critical
    program. Set-asides function provide a process for States to work with
    water systems to maintain compliance and avoid violations. States may
    reserve up to 31 percent of these funds for a variety of critical
    tasks, such as increasing the technical, managerial, and financial
    capacity of water systems, providing training and certification for
    water system operators, and continuing wellhead and source water
    protection efforts. Set-asides are an essential source of funding for
    States' core public health protection programs and these efforts work
    in tandem with infrastructure loans. However, as PWSS funds have
    remained stagnant, State programs have increasingly relied on the DWSRF
    set-asides to perform critical tasks and fill the gap between PWSS
    funds and the true funding it takes to run an effective State program.
    As States have been forced to utilize additional funding through set-
    asides, the DWSRF is losing out not only on those funds for that year,
    but the revolving aspect is lost as well. Increased funding for the
    PWSS program would help alleviate States using the full 31 percent of
    the set-asides, allowing for more infrastructure investment through the
    loan fund.
        Drinking Water Infrastructure Investment is Well Below the
    Documented Need: EPA's 6th Drinking Water Needs Survey concluded that
    $427.6 billion of capital investment was needed for the next 20 years.
    The total translates to $21.4 billion annually. Continued investment is
    needed for aging treatment plants, storage tanks, pumps, and
    distribution lines that carry water to our Nation's homes, businesses,
    and schools. The DWSRF must continue to be a key part of the
    infrastructure solution. Unlike other water infrastructure funding
    programs, the DWSRF offers project subsidization for disadvantaged
    communities, funds for training and technical assistance, and is a
    fundamental funding mechanism for many medium and small utilities who
    would pay much higher interest rates if forced to use the bond market.
    The DWSRF plays a key role in keeping water rates affordable for many
    communities. Having access to low-interest loans allows water systems
    to pass on the savings to their rate payers while working towards full-
    cost pricing of their water service.
        For the DWSRF Program in Fiscal Year 20, ASDWA Respectfully
    Requests $1.30 Billion: Multiple years of flat DWSRF funding has only
    exacerbated the Nation's infrastructure challenges. The DWSRF program
    was funded at $1.30 billion for fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019,
    a $300 million increase from previous years of steady funding, however,
    more is required. In America's Water Infrastructure Act (Public Law
    115-270), Congress authorized a plan to increase the funding of the
    DWSRF over time so that States can increase their staff and expand
    their expertise in conjunction with the increased funding. ASDWA fully
    supports the authorized increased funding. Physical water
    infrastructure improvements coupled with critical assistance
    initiatives funded by the DWSRF are essential to support public health
    protection as well as a sustainable economy. Funding the DWSRF at the
    recently authorized $1.30 billion level will better enable the DWSRF to
    meet the SDWA compliance and public health protection goals.
    Three EPA Drinking Water Grant Programs to Address Lead in Schools and
            Communities
        ASDWA Respectfully Requests $45 Million for Three Drinking Water
    Grant Programs: In fiscal year 2019 appropriations, Congress funded the
    Voluntary School and Childcare Lead Testing Grant program at $25
    million and the Lead Reduction Grant program at $15 million. ASDWA
    requests Congress continue the same appropriation for fiscal year 2020.
    In 2018, Public Law 115-270 authorized $5 million for a new EPA grant
    program to provide assistance to local educational agencies for the
    replacement of drinking water fountains manufactured prior to 1988.
    ASDWA also requests that Congress appropriate the $5 million
    authorization for this new grant in fiscal year 2020. Addressing lead
    contamination in schools' water is a priority for State drinking water
    programs and funding these two additional grant programs will provide
    significant public health impacts, particularly for children.
        Conclusion: ASDWA recommends Congress adequately fund State
    drinking water programs in the Federal fiscal year 2020 budget in order
    to protect public health and drinking water across the Nation. States
    are willing and committed partners, however, additional Federal
    financial assistance is needed to meet the ongoing and ever growing
    regulatory, infrastructure, and security needs. A strong State drinking
    water program supported by the Federal-State partnership will ensure
    that the quality of drinking water in this country will continue to
    improve so the public knows that a glass of water is safe to drink no
    matter where they live.
                                     ______

          Prepared Statement of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
        The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is pleased to submit
    the following testimony in support of funding for Endangered Species
    Recovery and the Recovery Challenge Grant program for fiscal year 2020.
    First, we thank the members of the subcommittee for increasing funding
    for endangered species through the Recovery account and working with
    our partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to create
    the Recovery Challenge Grant program in fiscal year 2018. We recognize
    the positive impact this funding has had on our recovery goals and
    encourage you to continue prioritizing these important functions.
        Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a 501(c)3
    non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and
    aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and
    recreation. AZA's 233 accredited aquariums, nature centers, science
    centers and zoos (identified in the addendum to this letter) annually
    see more than 195 million visitors, collectively generate more than $22
    billion in annual economic activity, and support more than 208,000 jobs
    across the country. In 2017, AZA-accredited facilities spent $220
    million on field conservation in 128 countries benefiting 863 species
    and subspecies. Within those 863 species and subspecies, 281 are listed
    under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
        We manage numerous large scale conservation initiatives that
    involve many AZA committees, scientific advisory groups, the USFWS, and
    other conservation partnership organizations. Successful ongoing
    recovery and reintroduction initiatives with AZA members include the
    black-footed ferret, the American Burying Beatle, the Golden Lion
    Tamarin, the American red wolf, the Karner blue butterfly, multiple
    fresh water mussels species, and many others. The unique expertise and
    on the ground experience brought to the table by our members is
    unparalleled and has proved extremely valuable to species recovery.
        One of our member organizations doing exemplary work is San Diego
    Zoo Global (SDZG), which holds an extensive record as a longtime leader
    in endangered species recovery. Their Institute for Conservation
    Research houses the largest, multidisciplinary, zoo-based research team
    with more than 150 researchers and staff who are leading experts in
    their field. SDZG carries out carefully tailored species recovery plans
    in partnership with the USFWS, a dedicated coalition of domestic and
    international nonprofit organizations, academic research centers, and
    other zoos. To date, San Diego Zoo Global has bred more than 165
    endangered species and reintroduced more than 40 endangered species
    into native habitats.
        Moreover, San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) plays a vital role in the
    highly successful public-private partnership to save the California
    condor which has seen the species go from a low of 22 birds to now
    reaching around 500. Together, the USFWS, State agencies, San Diego Zoo
    Global, The Peregrine Fund, Oregon Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, Ventana
    Wildlife Society, and several other nonprofit partners have provided
    critical genetic management, breeding, rearing, and release to recover
    the California condor. And in 2015, the California condors reached a
    crucial milestone: for the first time in their recovery, more birds
    hatched and fledged than died in the wild.
        Although the AZA and SDZG, along with partners, are investing
    significant resources in the conservation and recovery of the
    California condor and other species, the fight to save these species
    from extinction is far from over. Continued environmental threats make
    condors reliant on costly management efforts including propagation,
    rearing, monitoring, regular trapping, testing, and treatment carried
    out by nonprofit partners. With limited funding for recovery efforts,
    it is more important than ever to invest Federal funding in programs
    that leverage the significant resources and expertise of outside
    partners that can help the USFWS accomplish its recovery objectives in
    the most effective and efficient way. The Recovery Challenge Grants
    program created in fiscal year 2018 recognizes this and has been an
    incredibly important step towards encouraging this valuable ``Multi-
    Partner Recovery'' model.
        With these goals in mind, as the Committee develops the fiscal year
    2020 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill,
    we urge you to continue to provide robust funding for endangered
    species recovery and prioritize longstanding recovery efforts in which
    existing resources and partner expertise can be most effectively
    leveraged. Specifically, we request an increase for Endangered Species
    Act Recovery actions generally to $100 million and request an increase
    in funding for the Recovery Challenge Grant program to $8 million. This
    funding will enable critical recovery partnerships to sustain their
    work so that we can realize the goal of full recovery for condors and
    other critically endangered species.
        Thank you for your attention to this important request.

    Sincerely,

    Douglas G. Myers                          Daniel M. Ashe
    President/CEO                             President and CEO
    San Diego Zoo Globals                     Association of Zoos & Aquarium

                                    ADDENDUM

    San Diego Zoo Global, California
    The Peregrine Fund, Idaho
    Association of Zoos and Aquariums, USA

          AZA Member Institutions:

    Abilene Zoological Gardens, Texas
    Adventure Aquarium, New Jersey
    African Safari Wildlife Park, Ohio
    Akron Zoological Park, Ohio
    Alaska SeaLife Center, Alaska
    Albuquerque Biological Park, New Mexico
    Alexandria Zoological Park, Louisiana
    Aquarium of Niagara, New York
    Aquarium of the Bay, California
    Aquarium of the Pacific, California
    Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona
    Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Louisiana
    Audubon Zoo, Louisiana
    Bergen County Zoological Park, New Jersey
    Binder Park Zoo, Michigan
    Birch Aquarium at Scripps, California
    Birmingham Zoo, Alabama
    Blank Park Zoo, Iowa
    Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Ohio
    Bramble Park Zoo, South Dakota
    Brandywine Zoo, Delaware
    Brevard Zoo, Florida
    Bronx Zoo/WCS, New York
    Brookgreen Gardens, South Carolina
    Buffalo Zoo, New York
    Busch Gardens (Tampa), Florida
    The Butterfly House, Missouri
    Butterfly Pavilion, Colorado
    Buttonwood Park Zoo, Massachusetts
    Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, California
    Caldwell Zoo, Texas
    California Science Center, California
    Cameron Park Zoo, Texas
    Cape May County Park Zoo, New Jersey
    Capron Park Zoo, Massachusetts
    Central Florida Zoological Park, Florida
    Central Park Zoo, New York
    Chahinkapa Zoo, North Dakota
    Charles Paddock Zoo, California
    Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park, Tennessee
    Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Park, Colorado
    Chicago Zoological Society--Brookfield Zoo, Illinois
    Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Ohio
    Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Ohio
    Clyde Peeling's Reptiland, Pennsylvania
    Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Ohio
    Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, Minnesota
    Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, Connecticut
    Cosley Zoo, Illinois
    CuriOdyssey, California
    Dakota Zoo, North Dakota
    Dallas World Aquarium, Texas
    Dallas Zoo, Texas
    David Traylor Zoo of Emporia, Kansas
    Denver Zoological Gardens, Colorado
    Detroit Zoological Park, Michigan
    Dickerson Park Zoo, Missouri
    Discovery Cove, Florida
    Disney's Animal Kingdom, Florida
    El Paso Zoo, Texas
    Ellen Trout Zoo, Texas
    Elmwood Park Zoo, Pennsylvania
    Erie Zoo, Pennsylvania
    Florida Aquarium, The, Florida
    Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, Indiana
    Fort Worth Zoo, Texas
    Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Texas
    Franklin Park Zoo, Massachusetts
    Fresno Chaffee Zoo, California
    Georgia Aquarium, Georgia
    Gladys Porter Zoo, Texas
    Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum of Natural History, South Dakota
    Greensboro Science Center, North Carolina
    Greenville Zoo, South Carolina
    Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, Montana
    Happy Hollow Zoo, California
    Henry Vilas Zoo, Wisconsin
    Houston Zoo, Inc. Texas
    Hutchinson Zoo, Kansas
    Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park, Idaho
    Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc., Indiana
    International Crane Foundation, Wisconsin
    Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Florida
    Jenkinson's Aquarium, New Jersey
    John Ball Zoological Gardens, Michigan
    John G. Shedd Aquarium, Illinois
    Kansas City Zoo, Missouri
    Lake Superior Zoo, Minnesota
    Landry's Downtown Aquarium--Denver, Colorado
    Landry's Houston Aquarium, Inc., Texas
    Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park & Wildlife Safari, Nebraska
    Lee Richardson Zoo, Kansas
    Lehigh Valley Zoo, Pennsylvania
    Lincoln Children's Zoo, Nebraska
    Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, Illinois
    Lion Country Safari, Florida
    Little Rock Zoological Gardens, Arkansas
    Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park, New Mexico
    The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, California
    Los Angeles Zoo, California
    Louisville Zoological Garden, Kentucky
    Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Inc., Connecticut
    Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Maryland
    Memphis Zoological Garden and Aquarium, Tennessee
    Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden, Inc., Indiana
    Miller Park Zoo, Illinois
    Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens, Wisconsin
    Minnesota Zoological Garden, Minnesota
    Monterey Bay Aquarium, California
    Moody Gardens Rainforest and Aquarium, Texas
    Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, Florida
    Museum of Life and Science, North Carolina
    Museum of Science, Massachusetts
    Mystic Aquarium, Connecticut
    Naples Zoo, Florida
    Nashville Zoo, Tennessee
    National Aquarium, Maryland
    National Aviary, Pennsylvania
    National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Iowa
    New England Aquarium, Massachusetts
    New York Aquarium, New York
    Newport Aquarium, Kentucky
    North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, North Carolina
    North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina
    North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, North Carolina
    North Carolina Zoological Park, North Carolina
    Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo, Wisconsin
    Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Washington
    Oakland Zoo, California
    OdySea Aquarium, Arizona
    Oglebay's Good Zoo, West Virginia
    Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, Oklahoma
    Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, Nebraska
    Oregon Coast Aquarium, Oregon
    Oregon Zoo, Oregon
    Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park, Florida
    Peoria Zoo, Illinois
    Philadelphia Zoo, Pennsylvania
    Phoenix Zoo, The, Arizona
    Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Washington
    Potawatomi Zoo, Indiana
    Potter Park Zoological Gardens, Michigan
    Prospect Park Zoo, New York
    Pueblo Zoo, Colorado
    Queens Zoo, New York
    Racine Zoological Gardens, Wisconsin
    Red River Zoo, North Dakota
    Reid Park Zoo, Arizona
    Ripley's Aquarium at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
    Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Tennessee
    Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, South Carolina
    Riverside Discovery Center, Nebraska
    Roger Williams Park Zoo, Rhode Island
    Rolling Hills Zoo, Kansas
    Roosevelt Park Zoo, North Dakota
    Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park, New York
    Sacramento Zoo, California
    Safari West, California
    Saginaw Children's Zoo, Michigan
    Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri
    Salisbury Zoological Park, Maryland
    San Antonio Zoological Society, Texas
    San Diego Zoo, California
    San Diego Zoo Safari Park, California
    San Francisco Zoological Gardens, California
    Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens, California
    Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, Florida
    Scovill Zoo, Illinois
    SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium, Arizona
    SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium, California
    SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord Aquarium, North Carolina
    SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium, Texas
    SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium, Missouri
    SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium, Michigan
    SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium, Florida
    Seas, The, Florida
    Seattle Aquarium, Washington
    SeaWorld Orlando, Florida
    SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas
    SeaWorld San Diego, California
    Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas
    Seneca Park Zoo, New York
    Sequoia Park Zoo, California
    Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, Nevada
    Smithsonian National Zoological Park, District of Columbia
    South Carolina Aquarium, South Carolina
    Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, New Hampshire
    St. Augustine Alligator Farm, Florida
    Staten Island Zoo, New York
    Steinhart Aquarium, California
    Stone Zoo, Massachusetts
    Sunset Zoological Park, Kansas
    Tennessee Aquarium, Tennessee
    Texas State Aquarium, Texas
    Toledo Zoological Gardens, Ohio
    Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center, Kansas
    Tracy Aviary, Utah
    Trevor Zoo, New York
    Tulsa Zoo, Oklahoma
    Turtle Back Zoo, New Jersey
    Utah's Hogle Zoo, Utah
    Utica Zoo, New York
    Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, Virginia
    Virginia Living Museum, Virginia
    Virginia Zoological Park, Virginia
    Western North Carolina Nature Center, North Carolina
    Wildlife Safari, Oregon
    Wilds, The, Ohio
    Woodland Park Zoo, Washington
    Zoo Atlanta, Georgia
    Zoo Boise, Idaho
    Zoo Knoxville, Tennessee
    Zoo Miami, Florida
    ZOOAMERICA NA Wildlife Park, Pennsylvania
    ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Florida

                                     ______

              Prepared Statement of the Bay Mills Indian Community
                                  introduction
        Aanii (Hello)! My name is Bryan Newland, and I am the President of
    the Bay Mills Indian Community, which is an Ojibwe Tribe located on
    Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I am appearing before the
    subcommittee in my capacity as a Member of the Board for the Chippewa
    Ottawa Resource Authority (``CORA'').
        CORA is a consortium of five federally recognized Tribes in
    Michigan that are parties to the 1836 Treaty of Washington with the
    United States: Bay Mills Indian Community, the Grand Traverse Band of
    Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians,
    the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, and the Sault Ste.
    Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
                                    purpose
        I appreciate the opportunity to present testimony to the
    subcommittee to testify on Natural Resources on the importance of
    Federal funding to support the exercise of reserved treaty rights, as
    well as the management of natural resources protected through treaties
    between the United States and Indian Tribes and to urge your continued
    support for funding the Rights Protection Implementation (RPI) program
    at the Department of the Interior. RPI funds are necessary to ensure
    that Tribes are able to exercise their judicially-recognized reserved
    treaty rights in a meaningful way. Tribes use these funds to monitor
    and protect natural resources, enforce Tribal, State, and Federal laws,
    and to protect their reserved treaty rights.
        In fiscal year 2019, Congress appropriated $6,319,467 for RPI
    funding, which is allocated for the CORA Tribes. We are urging Congress
    to maintain this funding in fiscal year 2020, and to increase that
    amount by $40,000.
                                   background
        In 1836, the Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Odawa (Ottawa) Tribes (the
    ``CORA Tribes'') in Michigan negotiated a treaty with the United States
    to cede much of the lands that were used to establish the State of
    Michigan in 1837. Those ceded lands comprise more than 40 percent (40
    percent) of what is now the State of Michigan. In exchange for this
    valuable cession of land, the CORA Tribes reserved the right to hunt
    and fish throughout the ceded territory, including the adjoining waters
    in Lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior.
        The citizens of the CORA Tribes continued to exercise their treaty
    rights following the ratification of the 1836 Treaty of Washington. In
    the 1950's and 1960's, the State of Michigan began efforts to regulate
    hunting and fishing activities by our Tribal members, and to curtail
    the rights our Tribes reserved in the Treaty of 1836. Many Tribal
    members, including Bay Mills Indian Community member Albert ``Big Abe''
    LeBlanc, resisted the State's efforts to erode our reserved treaty
    rights by continuing to catch fish with gill nets and without State
    licenses.
        In 1971, the State of Michigan issued a citation to Big Abe LeBlanc
    for fishing with gill nets, and prosecuted him under Michigan's
    criminal laws. Bay Mills Indian Community defended LeBlanc against the
    charges by arguing that the rights reserved by the 1836 Treaty Tribes
    continued to exist, and that they superseded State hunting and fishing
    regulations under the supremacy clause of the United States
    Constitution. The case of People of Michigan v. LeBlanc was ultimately
    resolved by the Michigan Supreme Court in 1976, which held that the
    fishing rights expressly reserved in the 1836 Treaty remained in
    effect.
        As a result of the State of Michigan's prosecution of Big Abe
    LeBlanc, in 1973 the United States filed a lawsuit against the State of
    Michigan on behalf of the 1836 Treaty Tribes to uphold and enforce the
    fishing rights reserved in the 1836 Treaty. That case was titled United
    States v. Michigan. In 1979, Judge Fox of the U.S. District Court for
    the Western District of Michigan entered an opinion and order upholding
    the Tribes' fishing rights in what is now known as ``the Fox
    Decision.''
        Following Judge Fox's famous decision, the parties to United States
    v. Michigan--the Federal Government, the Bay Mills Indian Community,
    the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Sault Ste.
    Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and the State of Michigan--began
    court-supervised negotiations regarding how the Tribes would exercise
    and regulate our treaty rights. In 1985, the parties reached a
    tentative agreement to establish joint fishery management of the
    fishery with the State of Michigan, and to allocate harvest
    opportunities among Tribal and State-licensed fishers. The U.S.
    District Court entered an order putting that agreement into effect.
        The 1985 Consent Judgment remained in effect until August 2000. At
    that time, the Federal Government, the 1836 Treaty Tribes, and the
    State of Michigan negotiated a successor agreement to regulate Tribal
    fishing activities on the Great Lakes. That agreement expires in August
    2020, and the parties are preparing to negotiate another agreement to
    take its place.
        In 2007, the United States, the CORA Tribes, and the State of
    Michigan finalized a separate agreement to implement the Tribes'
    reserved treaty rights on the ``inland'' portion of the territory ceded
    by the 1836 Treaty. That agreement was also entered as a consent decree
    by the U.S. District Court in the United States v. Michigan case as a
    means to regulate Tribal hunting, fishing, and gathering activities
    under the 1836 Treaty, to establish joint management protocols with the
    State of Michigan, and to allocate harvest opportunity for certain
    species.
        From 1985 until today, the Federal Government, the CORA Tribes, and
    the State of Michigan have worked together to manage the commercial
    fishery in the upper Great Lakes. Since 2007, we have also worked
    together to manage game and other natural resources across the ceded
    territory. While we have had disagreements over the years, this
    framework has allowed us to cooperate to ensure the protection of
    natural resources and the continued vitality of Tribal treaty rights.
    This cooperative framework is now an accepted part of the fabric of
    natural resource protection and conservation law enforcement across
    much of the State of Michigan.
        Funds appropriated to the Rights Protection Implementation program
    are used to implement this cooperative framework.
        It is important to note that this framework is mandated by order of
    the U.S. District Court in the United States v. Michigan litigation;
    and, that the Federal Government negotiated the terms of the
    cooperative resource management framework on behalf of, and with, the
    1836 Treaty Tribes.
       fiscal year 2020 budget request: rights protection implementation
        The CORA Tribes receive funding through the ``Treaty Fisheries''
    line item in the Rights Protection Implementation program. Those funds
    are used to support the following activities:

      --Establishment of conservation-based fishing regulations;
      --Biological support services to monitor the fishery;
      --Resource protection and enhancement programs;
      --Conservation law enforcement activities and Tribal courts for
            violation of fishing regulations; and,
      --Intertribal coordination of activities and policies with Federal
            and State agencies.

        The CORA Tribes also receive RPI funding to implement the 2007
    Consent decree relating to the exercise of ``inland'' treaty rights.
    Those funds support the following activities:

      --Establishment of conservation-based hunting, fishing, and gathering
            regulations;
      --Biological support services to monitor wildlife, plant-life, and
            habitat;
      --Resource protection and enhancement programs;
      --Invasive species monitoring and controls;
      --Conservation law enforcement activities and Tribal courts for
            violation of hunting, fishing, and gathering regulations; and,
      --Intertribal coordination of activities and policies with Federal
            and State agencies.

        CORA does not support any budget request for Rights Protection
    Implementation in the fiscal year 2020 which is less than the sum
    appropriated for fiscal year 2019. Any cut in funding levels would
    leave inadequate funding to ensure that we are able to successfully
    implement the terms of the 2000 and 2007 Consent Decrees in United
    States v. Michigan. Less funding will require the CORA Tribes to scale
    back our conservation, monitoring, and enforcement activities. This
    will result in staff layoffs, increased risk of conflict between Tribes
    and other communities over resources, and a reduction in protection of
    the fishery, wildlife, and habitat throughout the ceded territory.
        CORA is urging Congress to maintain for Rights Protection
    Implementation in the fiscal year 2020 budget the same amount as
    provided for in fiscal year 2019 and to increase the CORA Tribes share
    to $6,359,467. We believe that this funding is adequate to allow us to
    successfully work with Federal and State agencies to implement the
    terms of the 2000 and 2007 Consent Decrees.
        CORA is also requesting that Congress appropriate $2.5 million to
    the Bureau of Indian Affairs for ``Litigation Support'' for Tribal
    treaty rights litigation. While ``Litigation Support'' funds are not
    used to directly implement Tribal treaty rights, they are used by
    Tribes--like the CORA Tribes--to negotiate consent decrees that ensure
    cooperative resource management and avoid litigation between the United
    States and State governments over Tribal treaty rights. The current
    Great Lakes Consent Decree expires in August 2020, and the Tribes
    require additional funds to prepare for both negotiation and possible
    litigation to create a new allocation/management regime.
        The Department of the Interior does not presently have adequate
    ``Litigation Support'' funds to ensure that the CORA Tribes are able to
    gather data, hire experts, and retain legal counsel to negotiate a new
    consent decree in the United States v. Michigan litigation.
        The Department of the Interior has provided Litigation Support
    funding to the CORA Tribes throughout the 45 year history of the United
    States v. Michigan case to litigate important issues and negotiate
    consent decrees. But, in the past year, the Department provided
    insufficient funds to enable the Tribes to prepare to negotiate a new
    Consent Decree in United States v. Michigan. This is a dramatic
    departure from the Department's prior support to the CORA Tribes
    throughout this litigation; and, we are deeply concerned that the
    Department will not provide the resources necessary to negotiate a new
    consent decree. This will increase the odds of litigation over our
    treaty rights, and jeopardize our cooperative management framework.
        CORA estimates a need for $500,000 in fiscal year 2019 to negotiate
    a new consent decree (or, to prepare to litigate the scope of our
    treaty rights beyond 2020). This funding will ensure that the CORA
    Tribes can participate in negotiations for a successor agreement to the
    2000 Consent Decree.
                                   conclusion
        The Rights Protection Implementation Program is necessary to ensure
    that the United States continues to meet its obligations under treaties
    with Tribes across the country. These funds are also necessary to
    ensure that Tribes can meet our obligations under Federal Court orders
    applicable to our reserved treaty rights. As Supreme Court Justice Hugo
    Black famously proclaimed: ``Great nations, like great men, keep their
    word.''
        For these reasons, the CORA Tribes respectfully request your
    support for fiscal year 2020 RPI funding at its current level, with
    $6,359,467 allocated for the CORA Tribes. Miigwetch (thank you) for the
    opportunity to present our views. I am happy to answer any questions
    that you may have.
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation
        The Requests of the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation (BBAHC) for
    the fiscal year 2020 Indian Health Service appropriations and our
    comments are as follows:

      --Clinic Leases.--Direct the Indian Health Service (IHS) to fully
            fund Village Built Clinic (VBC) and tribally leased clinics
            under section 105(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and
            Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA).
      --CSC Funding.--Continue to fund Contract Support Costs (CSC) at 100
            percent and provide funding on a permanent and mandatory basis.
      --Advance Appropriations/Sequestration.--Provide advance
            appropriations for the IHS and shield its budget from
            sequestration or rescissions.
      --Increase IHS behavioral healthcare funding (Mental Health/Substance
            Abuse)
      --Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI).--Multi-year
            authorization and increased mandatory funding.
      --Land Transfer Legislation.--Enactment of S. 224/H.R. 933, to
            facilitate transfer of a parcel of land from IHS to BBAHC on
            which our dental clinic is located.

        The Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation was created in 1973 to
    provide healthcare services to Alaska Natives of Southwest Alaska. We
    began operating and managing the Kanakanak Hospital and the Bristol Bay
    Service Unit for the IHS in 1980, and were the first tribal
    organization to do so under the ISDEAA. BBAHC is a co-signer to the
    Alaska Tribal Health Compact with the IHS under the ISDEAA and is now
    responsible for providing and promoting healthcare to the people of 28
    Alaska Native Villages.
        We have made significant progress but now deal with modern-day
    health problems. Today, rather than TB and influenza epidemics, we
    struggle with diseases of a modern society that include chronic
    illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and behavioral and
    mental health needs. The life expectancy of our people has increased
    from 47 years of age in 1952 to 69.4 in 1998, still below that of U.S.
    residents and other Alaskans.
        Village Built Clinics and Section 105(l) Leasing.--We thank
    Congress for appropriating a $36 million increase over base funding for
    Tribal health clinic leases in the Fiscal Year 2019 Consolidated
    Appropriations Acts. And we thank the Alaska delegation, and in
    particular Senator Murkowski, for her leadership on this issue,
    including her line of questioning of the IHS this issue in your May 1,
    2019 hearing. The $25 million increase over fiscal year 2018 was in
    recognition of IHS's responsibility as confirmed by the 2016 Federal
    court decision in Maniilaq v. Burwell, which held that section 105(l)
    of the ISDEAA provides an entitlement to full compensnation for leases
    of Tribal facilities used to carry out ISDEAA agreements. BBAHC
    utilizes both Village-Built and Section 105(l) leasing. Small
    chronically underfunded remote clinics serve as an essential health
    lifeline in rural Alaskan villages where there is no road system to
    connect villages to urban centers. As noted above, BBAHC serves 28
    remote villages in southwest Alaska.
        Congress has asked IHS to submit a report on the budget impact of
    meeting its responsibility under Maniilaq v. Burwell. We oppose any
    appropriataions rider, such as those included in the administration's
    budget proposals for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, which would allow IHS
    to avoid its responsibility to compensate Tribes fully for these costs.
    We ask that Congress again decline to include such a provision in the
    fiscal year 2020 IHS appropriation. In addition, we urge that any
    infrastructure proposal that may move forward include assistance for
    village built and tribally leased clinics, many of which are in poor
    condition and/or need to be replaced.
        Contract Support Costs (CSC).--BBAHC thanks the House and Senate
    Interior Appropriations Subcommittees for their leadership in
    committing to fully fund IHS and BIA contract support costs and for
    finding a way to do it through providng ``such sums as may be
    necessary'' and making it a separate account in the IHS and BIA
    budgets. For many years, both the IHS and BIA vastly underpaid the
    contract support costs owed to Tribal organizations, and this
    transformation makes an enormous difference in helping to ensure that
    Tribes and Tribal organizations can successfully exercise their rights
    and responsibilities under the ISDEAA. The shift is also likely to
    significantly improve the Federal-Tribal government-to-government
    relationship. We ask that you again not include any proposed proviso
    that would effectively deny CSC carryover authority granted by ISDEAA
    as you did in fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019.
        The House Committee Report language fom fiscal year 2018
    encouraging IHS to pay CSC on their grant programs was welcome, and we
    will continue to advocate to IHS that they take this action.
        BBAHC will continue to advocate for our long-term goal of ensuring
    that full CSC appropriations are made permanent and mandatory. Under
    the ISDEAA, the full payment of CSC is not discretionary; it is a legal
    obligation affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States. Funding
    of CSC on a discretionary basis has in the recent past placed the House
    and Senate Appropriations Committees, in their own words, in the
    ``untenable position of appropriating discretionary funds for the
    payment of any legally obligated contract support costs.'' BBAHC is
    committed to working with the appropriate Congressional committees to
    determine how best to achieve that goal.
        Advance Appropriations for IHS.--We are heartened by the
    introduction of legislation to provide advance appropriations for the
    IHS. Representative Young's bill, H.R. 1135, would provide advance
    appropriations for the IHS Services and Facilities accounts. Other
    legislation on this topic is S. 229, introduced by Senator Udall and
    companion legislation, H.R. 1128, introduced by Representative
    McCollum. Those bills would provide advance appropriations to the IHS
    Services and Contract Support Costs accounts and the BIA/BIE Operation
    of Indian Programs, Contract Support Costs and the Indian Guaranteed
    Loan Program.
        Sequestration.--BBAHC respectfully requests the subcommittee's
    support in amending the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control
    Act to exempt Indian programs, such as the IHS and BIA budgets, from
    across-the board sequestration of funds. We supported Congress fully
    exempting Veterans Health Administration programs from sequestration.
    However, Indian healthcare, as a Federal trust responsibility, should
    be afforded equal treatment. A number of Members of this subcommittee
    and other members of Congress have publicly stated that it was an
    oversight that the Indian budgets were not included in the exempt
    category when the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act was
    enacted.
        Behavioral Health.--We have testified before Congress previously
    regarding the hardships in providing for our communities' behavioral
    and mental health needs, particularly with regard to our youth. As you
    know, there is an epidemic of suicide among Alaska Natives, especially
    teens. BBAHC has well-qualified professional staff who service
    approximately 6,500 people in our region. But our social workers,
    counsellors and behavioral health aides have a theoretical caseload of
    300 persons each. The ratio of mental health clinicians to clients is 1
    to 1,300. Our 14-bed residential youth facility for substance abuse
    (Jake's Place) has an Alcohol and Drug Safety program funded by the
    State of Alaska but it is primarily an education program, not a
    treatment program, and much of the education is done remotely, via the
    Internet.
        We appreciate the fiscal year 2019 increases for IHS Alcohol and
    Substance Abuse ($17.7 million) and Mental Health ($5.4 million)
    programs while urging additional increases under the IHS Mental health
    program for behavioral health integration and the Zero Suicide
    Initiative and under the Alchohol and Substance Abuse account for
    Generation Indigenous, the pilot youth project, and detoxification. Of
    the fiscal year 2019 increase in the Substance Abuse account, $10
    million is for a Special Behavioral Health Pilot Program modeled after
    the Special Diabetes Program for Indians and we thank the Inteiror
    Appropriations Subcommittees for your work on this forward-looking
    proposal.
        We acknowledge the HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
    Administration (SAMHSA) fiscal year 2019 Tribal behavioral health
    grants ($20 million substance abuse; $20 million mental health) but the
    need in Indian Country is so great.
        Opioid Epidemic.--Indian Country, which has been severely affected
    by the opioid abuse epidemic, was initially left out of the funding
    under the State Opioid Response grants. Now, however, Tribes/Tribal
    organziations received $50 million in fiscal year 2018 and will receive
    the same amount of funding in fiscal year 2019 from that program. Per
    Tribal recommendations ,the funding is being distributed via formula.
    The recently enacted opoiod legislation, the SUPPORT Act signed into
    law on October 24, 2018, includes a Tribal funding allocation and we
    applaud that. Still, recommendations from around the Nation urge that
    significantly more resources are needed to address this crisis.
        Special Diabetes Program for Indians.--The SDPI authorization is
    set to expire on September 30, 2019, and while we expect Congress will
    extend it in some manner, we hope it will not be another short-term
    extension. For the stability of the program we and other Tribes and
    Tribal organizations advocate for a mult-year authorization and an
    increase in its mandatory funding. SDPI, currently funded at $150
    million annually, has not had an increase since fiscal year 2004.
    Pending legislation would extend the program for 5 years at $150
    million per year, but we urge that it be provided an overdue increase
    to at least $200 million per year to help accout for medical inflation
    and expansion.
        Land Transfer Legislation.--BBAHC also asks for your support in
    enacting legislation that would direct the Secretary of the Department
    of Health and Human Services to convey a 1.474-acre parcel of land, via
    warranty deed, to BBAHC for the land on which our new state-of the art
    dental clinic is located. The legislation is HR 933, introduced on
    January 30, 2019 by Congressman Young, and S. 224, introduced on
    February 1, 2017 by Senators Murkowski and Sullivan. On January 29, the
    Senate Committee on Indian Affairs approved S. 224.
        The House and Senate bills are identical, and there is no reason
    they should not pass under unanimous consent or under suspension of the
    rules. The property transfer authorized by these bills would enable the
    land transfer from IHS to BBAHC via warranty deed, and would supersede
    any existing quitclaim deed. It would allow the BBAHC to have greater
    control over the land and more opportunities for financing as well as
    to remove any IHS reversionary interests.
        Our dental facility opened in September 2016, on the grounds of the
    Kanakanak Hospital Compound. The new clinic replaced a dilapidated
    clinic and is providing expanded dental care to our region, where there
    are very few public dental clinics. Our service population is 6,500.
    Part of the funding for the dental facility came from BBAHC reinvesting
    its share of a CSC settlement with IHS that was paid to compensate for
    years of contract underpayments to the Tribal health organization. The
    clinic is the first permanent building owned by BBAHC on the hospital
    campus and there is a lot of pride and self-determination that flows
    from this tribally-owned dental building.
        We appreciate your leadership and commitment to the advancement of
    Native American people and thank you for your consideration of the
    concerns and requests of the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation.

        [This statement was submitted by Robert J. Clark, President/CEO.]
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy
        On behalf of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), I
    am writing to express support for fiscal year 2020 Federal investment
    in initiatives that help businesses manage environmental issues, foster
    transparency and best practices in emissions and water management, and
    recognize leadership in environmental stewardship and sustainability.
        As Congress moves forward with appropriations legislation for
    fiscal year 2020, the Council urges Congress to continue robust funding
    for the EPA offices of Air and Radiation, Enforcement Division, and
    Transportation and Air Quality related to international climate change
    programs, climate change research and partnership programs, the
    Renewable Fuel Standard, water management, and the ENERGY STAR program.
        BCSE is a coalition of companies and trade associations from the
    energy efficiency, natural gas and renewable energy sectors. It
    includes independent electric power producers, investor-owned
    utilities, public power, manufacturers, commercial end users and
    service providers in energy and environmental markets. Founded in 1992,
    the coalition's diverse business membership is united around the
    continued revitalization of the economy and the creation of a secure
    and reliable energy future in America.
        As a business group working to advance clean energy policies over
    the last 27 years, BCSE has seen first-hand the importance of the
    Federal role EPA fills in sharing information about new technologies
    and practices to help speed adoption and allow consumers to make more
    informed decisions.
        The Federal Government's role in these efforts is critical to
    provide transparent, standardized and independent data and expertise
    that cannot be replicated by private sector or non-governmental
    organizations with the same credibility.
                maintaining america's status as an energy leader
        Through regulatory and voluntary initiatives, EPA helps foster the
    U.S. leadership role in clean energy and transportation technologies
    globally. Many EPA programs, including the CHP Partnership, Green Power
    Partnership, Natural Gas Star, Methane Challenge, AgStar, Center for
    Corporate Climate Leadership, SmartWay Transport Partnership, and
    others, embody longstanding public-private endeavors that benefit
    American businesses and help them continue to compete on a global
    scale.
        For example, the Natural Gas Star program brings companies together
    to voluntarily conduct projects to reduce methane emissions and share
    lessons learned on innovative, cost-effective best practices. The new
    Methane Challenge program (within Natural Gas STAR) provides a credible
    platform for partner companies to transparently report the voluntary
    methane reduction measures they are implementing company-wide and to be
    publicly recognized as leaders in methane reduction. Both programs help
    companies share technology innovations that modernize and improve the
    efficiency of the country's energy delivery system.
        EPA initiatives provide market transparency, encourage voluntary
    action, and identify companies that are leaders in businesses and in
    environmental protection. Additionally, EPA's laboratories lead the
    world in capabilities that make the United States preeminent in
    research and analysis which supports private sector capabilities to
    enhance economic growth and emissions reductions simultaneously.
                  epa programs provide value to u.s. taxpayers
        Federal investments in programs implemented by the EPA have
    multiple benefits including reducing air pollution, saving consumers
    money, and achieving energy independence and security. Additionally,
    clean energy supported over 3 million jobs in the United States in
    2016, due in part to EPA and other government programs that encourage
    the use of clean energy and energy efficiency.\1\
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        \1\ 2018 U.S. Energy and Employment Report, available at: https://
    static1.squarespace.com/
    static/5a98cf80ec4eb7c5cd928c61/t/5c7f3708fa0d6036d7120d8f/
    1551849054549/USEER+2019+US+Energy+Employment+Report.pdf.
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        Programs like ENERGYSTAR have proven track records of success and
    are extremely cost-effective. Through brand recognition, information
    and positive publicity, the ENERGY STAR program has provided the
    catalyst for many consumers, homeowners, businesses, and State and
    local governments to invest in energy efficiency. The Council opposes
    moving to a fee-based funding model for ENERGYSTAR, which would erode
    the integrity and effectiveness of the program.
        Under the Office of Transportation and Air Quality, EPA has run the
    Renewable Fuel Standard, which has enabled the development of the
    biomass and biogas industry to help meet lower carbon energy needs. The
    Council encourages EPA to fund the registration of projects producing
    RINs from biogas derived fuels, including renewable electricity. This
    pathway would open up the potential for electricity derived from
    biogas, renewable biomass and solid forms of biomass used as
    transportation fuel and could significantly contribute to the program.
    epa programs provide critical support to states, tribes, and localities
        Many State, local, and Tribal efforts to improve the environment
    are dependent on the information and resources provided by Federal
    programs. The EPA provides valuable technical assistance, analytical
    tools, and outreach support to State, local, and Tribal governments
    that enable the States to administer robust clean energy and energy
    efficiency programs. Investing in energy efficiency, renewable energy,
    and environmental policies and programs is an important way for State
    and local governments to improve air quality and to improve people's
    health, and to save money. For example, EPA's State and Local Climate
    and Energy Program offers expertise about energy efficiency, renewable
    energy, and climate change policies and programs to interested State,
    local, and Tribal governments. By providing these resources, EPA
    removes barriers that would otherwise prohibit action at the local
    level due to resource constraints or lack of information on best
    practices.
          the federal role for air quality and climate change programs
        EPA can address barriers to the adoption of emissions-reducing
    technologies--such as a lack of reliable information, inconsistent
    regulatory environments, and workforce training gaps--through
    activities that include providing objective information, creating
    networks between the public and private sector and providing technical
    assistance. These efforts can help energy consumers in all sectors.
    Through its programs on renewable energy, natural gas, combined heat
    and power and energy efficiency, EPA encourages the use of clean,
    efficient, and market-ready technologies that can lower costs and
    improve resilience in addition to lowering emissions.
        EPA also has an important role to play as an international leader
    in climate science and emission reduction frameworks. EPA is engaged in
    a variety of international activities to advance climate change
    science, monitor our environment, and promote activities that reduce
    greenhouse gas emissions. EPA establishes partnerships, provides
    leadership, and shares technical expertise to support these activities.
        The Council wishes to work with Members of the Appropriations
    Committee to maximize the value of limited Federal dollars and we
    request the opportunity to meet with your staff to further discuss the
    Council's position and support for EPA programs. For questions please
    contact Carolyn Sloan on the BCSE's staff at csloan@bcse.org.
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the Center for Invasive Species Prevention
        We are contacting you in support of funding for programs at the
    USDA Forest Service that are essential for protecting the resilience of
    the Nation's forests in the face of invasive pests. Specifically, we
    ask that the subcommittee support funding of the State and Private
    Forestry Forest Health Management program at a level of $104 million;
    and Research and Development at $310 million.
        About one-third of America's land area supports forests or
    woodlands. These forests provide many benefits, including wood and non-
    wood forest products, jobs for rural economies, wildlife habitat,
    carbon sequestration, clean water and air, and aesthetic enjoyment.
    While these benefits are well understood for rural and wildland
    forests, the contributions of urban forests are sometimes not
    recognized. Urban forests moderate temperatures and winds, thus
    reducing energy expenditures and related emissions of carbon dioxide
    and other pollutants. They moderate stormwater runoff and related
    management costs. Urban trees while they filter air and water
    pollutants. And they improve the health and wellbeing of city
    residents.
                     forest health and management programs
        The Cooperative Forest Health Management program supports partners'
    efforts to prevent, monitor, suppress, and eradicate insects, diseases,
    and invasive plants through technical and financial assistance to State
    forestry agencies who deal directly with private forest owners. Our
    request for $104 million for Forest Health Management program would
    increase funds for work on non-Federal cooperative lands from $41 to
    $48 million. We ask for this increase for two reasons. First, over 60
    percent of America's forests are owned by States or private entities.
    Forest-based rural economies and the thousands of jobs these non-
    Federal forests support depend on the assistance received from USDA
    Forest Service experts.
        Second, non-native pests such as the emerald ash borer, spotted
    lanternfly, polyphagous and Kuroshio shot hole borer, and laurel wilt
    disease are usually first introduced in cities or suburbs. This occurs
    because the imports which transport these pests are usually destined
    for population centers. As a result, the newly arrived pests cause
    enormous damage to urban forests.
        However, the pests don't stay in the cities. Instead, they
    proliferate and spread to forests in rural and wildland areas. This
    movement is often facilitated by people moving firewood or plants (such
    as through the nursery trade) or even household goods. In this way, the
    pests introduced to our cities threaten forests across the continent--
    including in National forests. For example, the emerald ash borer is
    killing trees in many National forests across the Northeast and
    Midwest; the polyphagous and Kuroshio shot hole borers are now killing
    trees in the Cleveland National Forest. All were first discovered in
    urban forests.
        To be most effective, the USDA Forest Health Management program
    must address pests where they are first found--in urban or semi-rural
    forests--before they spread to National forests.
        Our request for $48 million for Cooperative Lands seeks to restore
    some of the capacity lost in past budget reductions. Between fiscal
    year 2010 and fiscal year 2018, spending to combat 11 specified non-
    native insects and pathogens fell by about 50 percent. Furthermore, the
    Forest Service' responsibilities to combat these pests is likely to
    increase because the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
    has proposed to terminate the program under which it regulates movement
    of firewood, nursery stock, and other items which spread the emerald
    ash borer. Such a termination will greatly increase the risk that the
    emerald ash borer will spread to un-infested Western States. The step
    will also exacerbate the risk of spreading many other wood-boring pests
    that are also transported in firewood.
        Another example of the value of the Cooperative Lands program is
    the pathogen that causes sudden oak death (SOD). Since 2001, this
    program has provided an average of $1.9 million per year to the Oregon
    Department of Forestry as well as to National forests and Bureau of
    Land Management to treat SOD in Curry County, Oregon. An economic
    analysis concluded that continuing this cooperative containment program
    is essential to protecting economic, cultural, aesthetic, and
    ecological values of southwest Oregon. Continuing the slow-the-spread
    program at approximately the same level over the next 20 years--at a
    cost of $30 million--could prevent the loss of 1,200 jobs by 2028 and
    $57.9 million in wages from 2028.
        Of course, a variety of non-native and native pests are threatening
    National forests. Consequently, CISP also supports funding the Forest
    Health Management program on National Forests at $56 million for fiscal
    year 2020.
           usda forest service forest and rangeland research program
        Effective programs to prevent, suppress, and eradicate non-native
    insects, diseases, and plants depend on understanding of the pest-host
    relationship gained through research. We seek $310 million for the USDA
    Forest Service Research and Development program in fiscal year 2020.
        Past reductions have already severely reduced the Service's ability
    to carry out vitally important research on non-native insects,
    diseases, and plants. Thus, funding for research conducted by the
    Research stations on 10 non-native pests decreased from $10 million in
    fiscal year 2010 to just $3 million in fiscal year 2018. Cuts of this
    magnitude cripple the Service's ability to develop effective tools to
    manage the growing number of pests threatening the health of the
    Nation's forests, regardless of ownership.
        The budget does not specify funding levels within the Research and
    Development budget that should be allocated to non-native insects,
    pathogens, or other invasive species. We ask the subcommittee to
    include in its report language an instruction that the Service increase
    the funding for this vital research area to 5 percent of the total
    research budget.
        For further information, please contact Faith T. Campbell at
    phytodoer@aol.com.

        [This statement was submitted by Faith T. Campbell, President.]
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District
        On behalf of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District
    (CAWCD), I encourage you to include $2 million for salinity specific
    projects in the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Aquatic Habitat
    Management sub-activity (formerly known as the Soil, Water and Air
    Program) in fiscal year 2020. The funding will help protect the water
    quality of the Colorado River that is used by approximately 40 million
    people for municipal and industrial purposes and used to irrigate
    approximately 5.5 million acres in the United States.
        CAWCD manages the Central Arizona Project (CAP), a multi-purpose
    water resource development and management project that delivers
    Colorado River water into central and southern Arizona. The largest
    supplier of renewable water in Arizona, CAP diverts an average of over
    1.5 million acre-feet of Arizona's 2.8 million acre-foot Colorado River
    entitlement each year to municipal and industrial users, agricultural
    irrigation districts, and Indian communities.
        Our goal at CAP is to provide an affordable, reliable and
    sustainable supply of Colorado River water to a service area that
    includes more than 80 percent of Arizona's population.
        These renewable water supplies are critical to Arizona's economy
    and to the economies of Native American communities throughout the
    State. Nearly 90 percent of economic activity in the State of Arizona
    occurs within CAP's service area. The canal provides an economic
    benefit of $100 billion annually, accounting for one-third of the
    entire Arizona gross State product. CAP also helps the State of Arizona
    meet its water management and regulatory objectives of reducing
    groundwater use and ensuring availability of groundwater as a
    supplemental water supply during future droughts. Achieving and
    maintaining these water management objectives is critical to the long-
    term sustainability of a State as arid as Arizona.
                     negative impacts of concentrated salts
        Natural and man-induced salt loading to the Colorado River creates
    environmental and economic damages. EPA has identified that more than
    60 percent of the salt load of the Colorado River comes from natural
    sources. The majority of land within the Colorado River Basin is
    federally owned, much of which is administered by BLM. Human activity,
    principally irrigation, adds to salt load of the Colorado River.
    Further, natural and human activities concentrate the dissolved salts
    in the River.
        The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has estimated the
    current quantifiable damages at about $454 million per year to U.S.
    users with projections that damages would increase to approximately
    $574 million per year by 2035 if the program were not to continue.
    These damages include:

      --A reduction in the yield of salt sensitive crops and increased
            water use to meet the leaching requirements in the agricultural
            sector;
      --Increased use of imported water and cost of desalination and brine
            disposal for recycling water in the municipal sector;
      --A reduction in the useful life of galvanized water pipe systems,
            water heaters, faucets, garbage disposals, clothes washers, and
            dishwashers, and increased use of bottled water and water
            softeners in the household sector;
      --An increase in the cost of cooling operations and the cost of water
            softening, and a decrease in equipment service life in the
            commercial sector;
      --An increase in the use of water and the cost of water treatment,
            and an increase in sewer fees in the industrial sector;
      --A decrease in the life of treatment facilities and pipelines in the
            utility sector; and
      --Difficulty in meeting wastewater discharge requirements to comply
            with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit
            terms and conditions, and an increase in desalination and brine
            disposal costs due to accumulation of salts in groundwater
            basins.

        Adequate funding for salinity control will prevent the water
    quality of the Colorado River from further degradation and avoid
    significant increases in economic damages to municipal, industrial and
    irrigation users.
        history of the blm colorado river basin salinity control program
        In implementing the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of
    1974, Congress recognized that most of the salts in the Colorado River
    originate from federally owned lands. Title I of the Salinity Control
    Act deals with the U.S. commitment to the quality of waters being
    delivered to Mexico. Title II of the Act deals with improving the
    quality of the water delivered to users in the United States. This
    testimony deals specific with Title II efforts. In 1984, Congress
    amended the Salinity Control Act and directed that the Secretary of the
    Interior develop a comprehensive program for minimizing salt
    contributions to the Colorado River from lands administered by BLM.
        In 2000, Congress reiterated its directive to the Secretary and
    requested a report on the implementation of BLM's program (Public Law
    106-459). In 2003, BLM employed a Salinity Coordinator to increase BLM
    efforts in the Colorado River Basin and to pursue salinity control
    studies and to implement specific salinity control practices.
    Meaningful resources have been expended by BLM in the past few years to
    better understand salt mobilization on rangelands. With a significant
    portion of the salt load of the Colorado River coming from BLM
    administered lands, the BLM portion of the overall program is essential
    to the success of the effort. Inadequate BLM salinity control efforts
    will result in significant additional economic damages to water users
    downstream.
        The threat of salinity continues to be a concern in both the United
    States and Mexico. On November 20, 2012, a five-year agreement, known
    as Minute 319, was signed between the U.S. and Mexico to guide future
    management of the Colorado River. Among the key issues addressed in
    Minute 319 included an agreement to maintain current salinity
    management and existing salinity standards. The United States, Mexico,
    and key water users, including CAWCD, worked since 2015 to develop a
    successor agreement, Minute 323, which was finalized on September 27,
    2017. Minute 323 continues collaboration and cooperation among the
    United States and Mexico with respect to salinity control in the
    Colorado River system. The CAWCD and other key water providers are
    committed to meeting these goals.
                                   conclusion
        Implementation of salinity control practices through the BLM
    Program has proven to be a very cost effective method of controlling
    the salinity of the Colorado River and is an essential component of the
    overall Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program.
        CAWCD urges the subcommittee to include $2 million for salinity
    specific projects in the BLM's Soil, Water and Air Program. The
    continuation of funding will prevent further degradation of the water
    quality of the Colorado River and further degradation and economic
    damages experienced by municipal, industrial and irrigation users. A
    modest investment in source control pays huge dividends in improved
    drinking water quality for nearly 40 million Americans.

        [This statement was submitted by Theodore C. Cooke, General
    Manager.]
                                     ______

                Prepared Statement of Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
        On behalf of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, I am submitting this
    written statement for the hearing record on the fiscal year 2020
    budgets for the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Bureau of Indian
    Affairs (BIA). This testimony identifies healthcare funding priorities
    and budget issues important to the Choctaw Nation and its citizens.
        First, and foremost, the Choctaw Nation requests that Congress
    exempt Tribal Government Services and Program Funding from
    Sequestrations, Unilateral Rescissions and Budget Cuts in all future
    appropriations. We also request that Congress continues to fully fund
    Contract Support Cost (CSC) without impacting direct program funding.
        The Choctaw Nation requests that the subcommittee works to approve
    timely appropriations for fiscal year 2020, and we trust all efforts
    will be made to have a Federal appropriation prior to the beginning of
    the fiscal year. However, in fiscal year 2019, the Interior
    appropriations, including funding to provide direct healthcare services
    for our people, was severely delayed due to the longest partial
    government shutdown in our history. The Indian Health Service (IHS)
    system (including Tribal) was the only Federal direct healthcare system
    that was affected by the partial government shutdown, leaving IHS and
    Tribes alike scrambling to ensure that patients continued to receive
    access to critical healthcare services during this time. Tribes, with
    the inability to be paid any of its compact funds during the partial
    shutdown period, found themselves in the awkward position of finding a
    way to continue to administer services that are Trust obligations of
    the Federal Government for which the government was not providing
    funding. This situation is untenable.
        The Government Accountability Office (GAO) finalized a report in
    September, 2018 analyzing the possibility of advanced appropriations
    for Indian Health Service. IHS Advanced Appropriations would eliminate
    the negative effect of any government shutdown and allow these critical
    health services to operate uninterrupted. It is time for advanced
    appropriations to be enacted for IHS, and we look to the subcommittee
    for leadership and support to make it a reality this year.
        Thank you for continuing to appropriate funds in 2017 for the Joint
    Venture Project (JVP), a proven, successful model for leveraging
    Federal resources to improve access to care in Indian Country. We most
    recently opened the Choctaw Nation Durant Regional Medcial Clinic, in
    February 2017. We were the first Tribal or IHS program to have an
    ambulatory surgery suite in an outpatient facility. Other services also
    include primary care, dental, pediatrics, lab, diabetes care, community
    health nurses, optometry, radiology services (including MRI, CT, bone
    density, mammography, ultrasound, fluoroscopy and x-ray), pharmacy,
    behavioral health, physical therapy, and numerous specialty care
    services. This JVP with IHS has been an invaluable exercise in
    partnership and investment in improved quality healthcare for Native
    American people.
        Although there are many facility needs in the Choctaw Nation and
    Oklahoma City Area, none are included on the IHS Health Facilities
    Construction program listing. The current backlog would take decades to
    construct at the current pace of appropriations and yet it will still
    not address any needs in Oklahoma. The only viable option for Tribal
    health facilities in Oklahoma is the JVP, which is a very small and
    highly competitive program. IHS has not held a competition for the
    program since 2014 and has created a similar 'queue' as the large
    Health Facilities Construction program, which is both bureaucratic and
    ineffective. The IHS should be strongly encouraged to abandon this
    failed approach and compete the JVP on at least a bi-annual basis to
    address the highest facility priorities.
        We strongly urge the Committee to protect the Federal trust and
    treaty obligations that are funded in the Federal domestic budget.
    Federal funding that meets Federal Indian treaty and trust obligations
    also provides significant contributions to the economy. The Department
    of the Interior (DOI), the BIA and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)
    contribute substantially to economic growth in Tribal areas through
    advances in infrastructure, strategic planning, improved practices of
    governance, and the development of human capital.
                         the choctaw nation of oklahoma
        The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is the third largest Native American
    Tribal government in the United States with over 230,000 members. The
    Choctaw Nation territory consists of all or part of 10\1/2\ counties in
    Southeast Oklahoma, and we are proudly one of the State's largest
    employers. The Nation operates a hospital at Talihina, Oklahoma, and a
    system of eight (8) outpatient health facilities, along with a broad
    range of ancillary services.
        The Nation also administers referred specialty care and sanitation
    facilities construction; higher education; Johnson O'Malley program;
    housing improvement; child welfare and social services; law
    enforcement; and, many other programs and services. The Choctaw Nation
    has operated under the Self-Governance authority in the DOI since 1994
    and in the Department of Health and Human Services' IHS since 1995. As
    a Self-Governance Tribe, the Nation is able to re-design programs to
    meet tribally-specific needs without diminishing the United States'
    trust responsibility.

    NATIONAL BUDGET REQUESTS--INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE

        1.  Special Diabetes Program for Indians.--Support reauthorization
    of $200 million/year for 5 years (IHS): The administration's budget
    proposes to move SDPI from ``mandatory funding'' which Congress must
    authorize from time to time to ``discretionary spending'' which would
    allow Congress to control the funding going to SDPI as part of the
    annual appropriations process. That means SDPI will compete with other
    Indian programs annually, as opposed to being funded automatically
    outside of that environment today. Indian Country has not been
    consulted on this proposal and the rationale for the request has not
    been made available to us. We request no changes until such
    consultation occurs.
        2.  Contract Support Costs--Indian Health Service and Bureau of
    Indian Affairs (IHS and BIA).--The Nation appreciates the continued
    support of the Committees to fully fund CSC requirements without
    impacting direct Indian health programs. Beginning in fiscal year 2014,
    fully funding CSC has made a tremendous improvement and properly
    retained important health program funding to direct services. We
    request that IHS and BIA be instructed to consult with Tribes on every
    provision of the CSC Policy until both sides reach consensus; and if at
    any time the agencies seek to unilaterally make changes, they should be
    directed to consult with Tribes prior to any changes in the CSC Policy.
        3.  Purchased and Referred Care (PRC).--The Purchased/Referred Care
    (PRC) program pays for urgent and emergency, specialty care and other
    critical services that are not directly available through IHS and
    Tribally-operated health programs when no IHS direct care facility
    exists, or the direct care facility cannot provide the required
    emergency or specialty care, or the facility has more demand for
    services than it can currently meet. Although the Nation operates a
    hospital facility, the hospital is located in a very rural area, we are
    the only provider in the community and services are limited. In fact,
    our hospital does not have an intensive care unit, which requires
    patients to be flown to another facility using PRC. Therefore, PRC is a
    significant need to provide intensive care and tertiary care, as well
    as emergency transportation.
        4.  IHS Mandatory Funding (Maintaining Current Services).--Existing
    funding levels must keep pace with population growth, inflation and the
    like, or the result is similar to a reduced budget with less purchasing
    power. One very good example are the extraordinary rise in
    pharmaceutical costs. Over the last 3 years, the IHS has seen an
    increase of 8.8 percent in pharmaceutical expenditures alone.
        5.  Workforce Development--permanent funding for Graduate Medical
    Education.--The Choctaw Nation has operated an accreditated and
    successful Graduate Medical Education program, or GME since receiving a
    grant from the Health Care Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
    in 2010. The Nation has found the GME program to be integral to our
    physician recruiting and retention efforts in a rural, remote area. As
    a Teaching Health Center, our residents are very likely to practice
    following their residency in our health system, or close by in rural
    Oklahoma, which is also underserved. Physicians considering employment
    are often interested in GME and it becomes a recruitment tool outside
    the residents themselves. Other benefits are: (1) becoming a THC is a
    marker of quality; (2) improved in-house physician coverage; (3)
    ``growing your own'' medical staff from nearby rural communitites; (4)
    high retention and satisfaction rates of residency graduates; (5)
    promotes an environment of life long learning; (6) provides enhanced
    continuing medical education opportunities; (7) encourages Medical
    Staff to be up on current literature and topics; and (8) Engages the
    existing staff and is seen as a ``breath of fresh air''. While the HRSA
    funding has been helpful, it is competitive and sporatic--sometimes
    with unknown future appropriations. GME programs should be funded
    permanently in the Indian health system so that IHS and Tribal sites
    with hospitals can address some of the dire challenges in recruiting
    and retaining health professionals in rural areas.
        6.  Opioid Funding.--We appreciate the set asides for Indian health
    that have been made in various initiatives for funding addressing the
    opioid epidemic. Increase funding and include Tribal set asides rather
    than to make it funding through States. Addressing the opioid epidemic
    is a nationwide priority. American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN)
    face opioid related fatalities three times the rate of non-Natives.
        7.  Information Technology.--The IHS health information technology
    (HIT) program continues to face increased demand for systems
    improvements and enhancements, rising costs, and increased information
    technology (IT) security requirements driven in part by medical
    advances, and ever-growing and more complex requirements for HIT
    capabilities. Virtually any new program initiative has IT requirements
    for functionality, modality, data collection, and reporting which then
    must be added to a clinician's work flow and managed within the HIT
    portfolio. In addition to the overall increased demand, the HIT program
    must also plan for a change in Electronic Health Record platforms
    resulting from the decision by the Veteran's Administration (VA) to
    replace their current legacy HIT platform, VistA. To prepare for this
    transition that is expected to occur over the next 5 years, the IHS HIT
    program will be required to devote additional budgetary resources for
    infrastructure modernization, training, and support.

        Thank you for accepting my written statement on behalf of the
    Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

        [This statement was submitted by Melanie Fourkiller, Senior Policy
    Analyst.]
                                     ______

             Prepared Statement of the Choose Clean Water Coalition
    Dear Chair Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        To follow a common sense path to maintain healthy local water and
    restore Chesapeake Bay, which is critical for our regional economy, the
    undersigned members of the Choose Clean Water Coalition request funding
    for the following programs in fiscal year 2020:
                      u.s. environmental protection agency
        Chesapeake Bay Program--$90 million.--We request an increase in
    funding to $90 million for the base budget of the Chesapeake Bay
    Program, which coordinates Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration and
    protection efforts. More than two-thirds of the program's funds are
    passed through to the States and local communities for on-the-ground
    restoration work through the Small Watershed Grants, Innovative
    Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants, State Implementation Grants,
    Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program grants and local
    government grants. This would be the first increase in funding for the
    Chesapeake in 6 years--since a very modest 4 percent increase in fiscal
    year 2015. We are advocating for an additional $17 million to go to the
    States, local governments and local entities to do on-the-ground
    restoration that will help the region move toward its clean up goals in
    2025.
        We strongly support the Chesapeake Small Watershed Grants and the
    Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants--and request $9
    million for each of these critical grant programs. These grants go
    directly to on-the-ground restoration efforts by local governments and
    communities, including to family farms, and are critical to addressing
    the new increased pollution loadings from Conowingo Dam. We recognize
    the high priority that Congress has placed on these two grant programs
    for years and support the effort to get more Federal funds on the
    ground at the local level.
        We urge you to fund the Chesapeake Bay Program at $90 million in
    fiscal year 2020, and specify that $9 million of that amount be
    provided for Small Watershed Grants ($3 million more than in fiscal
    year 2019) and $9 million be provided for Innovative Nutrient and
    Sediment Reduction Grants ($3 million more than in fiscal year 2019).
    We also support additional funding of $5 million for Local Government
    Implementation Funding and $6 million for priority watersheds to
    address the additional pollution reductions that must be met over the
    next 6 years, due to the Conowingo Dam.
        Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF)--$5 billion.--This program
    is critical to any national initiative to provide a Federal
    Infrastructure Spending Plan and it provides the lifeblood for the
    1,779 local governments throughout the Chesapeake region to secure
    their water infrastructure. The funding level for the Clean Water SRF
    has eroded over the years as the clean water needs of local communities
    have increased dramatically. The Clean Water SRF is one of the funding
    components of the Clean Water Act to ensure that local governments have
    Federal funding support for the Act's mandates. We request tripling the
    current funding for the Clean Water SRF.
        These low interest loans are critical for clean water and for
    ratepayers in the Chesapeake region and nationwide. We urge you to
    support the $5 billion funding level that would provide $1.07 billion
    in low interest loans to local governments in Delaware, Maryland, New
    York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of
    Columbia--three times the current level of funding. We also strongly
    support targeting 20 percent of the Clean Water SRF funds for green
    infrastructure and innovative projects including those to manage
    stormwater, which helps communities improve water quality while
    creating green space, mitigating flooding. As the list of clean water
    infrastructure needs in the Chesapeake region continues to expand, we
    request that Congress triple the funding of the Clean Water SRF from
    fiscal year 2019.
                           department of the interior
        U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)--Chesapeake Ecosystem Science and
    Monitoring--$12.85 million.--We support full funding for USGS to
    continue to provide the critical science necessary for restoration and
    protection efforts for fish, wildlife and the 18 million people in the
    Chesapeake Bay watershed. USGS monitoring and assessment informs
    decisions made by the Department of the Interior as well as other
    Federal and State partners in the Chesapeake Bay Program on issues
    related to fisheries and associated water quality, waterfowl and their
    habitats, and land protection.
        In fiscal year 2020, USGS, working with the National Oceanic and
    Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will put a new focus on habitat
    conditions for commercial and recreational fisheries. This will help
    State and Federal agencies develop a more comprehensive approach to
    restore and protect fisheries. The comprehensive approach will better
    tie together Chesapeake Bay Program efforts to: (1) reduce nutrient and
    sediment pollution under the Bay total maximum daily load (TMDL); (2)
    mitigate the effects of toxic contaminants; and (3) improve stream and
    estuary habitats important for fisheries.
        National Park Service--Chesapeake Regional Programs--$3.891
    million.--The National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office has led
    efforts on a number of small, but very important programs that focus on
    increasing public access and the use of ecological, cultural and
    historic resources of the Chesapeake region.
        We are requesting increased funding for the key program currently
    administered by the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office in the
    Chesapeake Bay watershed: Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Trails ($3.0
    million). Gateways helps to preserve critical landscapes and natural
    resources in the region and has contributed over $16 million in
    technical and financial assistance for more than 300 projects in the
    Bay watershed. We urge you to increase funding for the Gateways program
    from $2.02 million in fiscal year 2019 to $3 million in fiscal year
    2020. In addition, we urge continued support for coordinating programs
    through the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office ($495,000). In
    addition, as in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, we urge you
    to extend the authorization for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Trails
    program, specifically for 2 more years.
        We also support continued funding for the Captain John Smith
    Chesapeake National Historic Trail at $396,000. We are, however, very
    concerned with the recent administrative transfer of this Historic
    Trail program from the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office to
    the Colonial National Historic Park in Virginia. We urge Congress to
    reassert your intent that the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National
    Historic Trail be administered by the National Park Service Chesapeake
    Bay Office in Annapolis, Maryland, as it has been since 2007.
           department of the interior/u.s. department of agriculture
        National Park Service/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/U.S. Forest
    Service--Land and Water Conservation Fund Priority Projects in the
    Chesapeake Bay Watershed--$16.7705 million.--We strongly support full
    funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In particular, we
    support continuation of the strategic use of funds from the Land and
    Water Conservation Fund for priority projects in the Chesapeake Bay
    watershed. These efforts target conservation funds for critical
    priority landscapes throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. The following
    projects would protect more than 6,000 acres of nationally significant
    resources.

      --U.S Fish and Wildlife Service--James River National Wildlife
            Refuge--$750,000 (255 acres)

      --U.S Fish and Wildlife Service--Rappahannock River Valley National
            Wildlife Refuge--$3 million (968 acres)

      --U.S. Forest Service--George Washington and Jefferson National
            Forests--$435,500 (144 acres)

      --U.S. Forest Service--George Washington and Jefferson National
            Forests--$4,285,000 (2,897 acres)

      --National Park Service--Captain John Smith Chesapeake National
            Historic Trail--$5,000,000 (1,400 acres)

      --National Park Service--Richmond National Battlefield Park--
            $3,300,000 (380 acres)

        Thank you for your consideration of these very important requests.
    Please contact Peter J. Marx at peter@choosecleanwater.org with any
    questions or concerns.

    Action Together Northeastern Pennsylvania
    Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
    Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley
    American Chestnut Land Trust
    American Rivers
    Anacostia Riverkeeper
    Anacostia Watershed Society
    Annapolis Green
    Arundel Rivers Federation
    Audubon Maryland/DC
    Audubon Naturalist Society
    Audubon Society of Northern Virginia
    Back Creek Conservancy
    Baltimore Tree Trust
    Blue Heron Environmental Network
    Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition
    Blue Water Baltimore
    Butternut Valley Alliance
    Cacapon Institute
    Capital Region Land Conservancy
    Catskill Mountainkeeper
    Center for Progressive Reform
    Chapman Forest Foundation
    Chemung River Friends
    Chesapeake Bay Foundation
    Chesapeake Climate Action Network
    Chesapeake Conservancy
    Chesapeake Legal Alliance
    Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage
    Clean Fairfax
    Clean Water Action
    Clean Water Linganore
    Coalition for Smarter Growth
    Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania
    DC Environmental Network
    Delaware Nature Society
    Ducks Unlimited
    Earth Conservation Corps
    Earthworks
    Earth Forum of Howard County
    Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation
    Eastern Shore Land Conservancy
    Elizabeth River Project
    Environmental Integrity Project
    Environmental Justice Center of Chestnut Hill United Church
    Environmental Working Group
    Experience Learning
    Float Fishermen of Virginia
    Friends of Accotink Creek
    Friends of Frederick County
    Friends of Herring Run Park
    Friends of Little Hunting Creek
    Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek
    Friends of Quincy Run
    Friends of Sligo Creek
    Friends of the Bohemia
    Friends of the Cacapon River
    Friends of Dyke Marsh
    Friends of the Middle River
    Friends of the Nanticoke River
    Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River
    Friends of the Rappahannock
    Friends of St. Clements Bay
    Goose Creek Association
    Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake
    James River Association
    Lackawanna River Conservation Association
    Lancaster Farmland Trust
    Little Falls Watershed Alliance
    Lower Shore Land Trust
    Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper
    Lynnhaven River NOW
    Maryland Conservation Council
    Maryland Environmental Health Network
    Maryland League of Conservation Voters
    Maryland Native Plant Society
    Maryland Nonprofits
    Maryland Science Center
    Mattawoman Watershed Society
    Mid-Atlantic Council Trout Unlimited
    Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper
    Muddy Branch Alliance
    National Aquarium
    National Parks Conservation Association
    National Wildlife Federation
    Natural Resources Defense Council
    Nature Abounds
    NeighborSpace of Baltimore County
    New York League of Conservation Voters
    New York State Council of Trout Unlimited
    Neighbors of the Northwest Branch
    Otsego County Conservation Association
    Otsego Land Trust
    Partnership for Smarter Growth
    Patapsco Heritage Greenway
    Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust
    PennEnvironment
    PennFuture
    Pennsylvania Council of Churches
    Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited
    Piedmont Environmental Council
    Potomac Conservancy
    Potomac Riverkeeper
    Potomac Riverkeeper Network
    Potomac Valley Audubon Society
    Queen Anne's Conservation Association
    Preservation Maryland
    Rachel Carson Council
    Restore America's Estuaries
    Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection
    Richmond Audubon Society
    Rivanna Conservation Alliance
    St. Mary's River Watershed Association
    Savage River Watershed Association
    Severn River Association
    Shenandoah Riverkeeper Shenandoah Valley Network
    ShoreRivers
    Sidney Center Improvement Group
    Sierra Club--Maryland Chapter
    Sleepy Creek Watershed Association
    Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project
    Southern Environmental Law Center
    Southern Maryland Audubon Society
    SouthWings
    Susquehanna Heritage
    Talbot Preservation Alliance
    The Downstream Project
    Transition Howard County
    Trash Free Maryland
    Trout Unlimited
    Upper Potomac Riverkeeper
    Upper Susquehanna Coalition
    Virginia Association of Biological Farming
    Virginia Conservation Network
    Virginia League of Conservation Voters
    Warm Springs Watershed Association
    Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, Inc.
    Waterkeepers Chesapeake
    West Virginia Citizen Action Group
    West Virginia Environmental Council
    West Virginia Highlands Conservancy
    West Virginia Rivers Coalition
    Wetlands Watch
    Wicomico Environmental Trust

                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the Chugach Regional Resources Commission
        The Chugach Regional Resources Commission (CRRC) is pleased to
    submit written testimony reflecting the needs, concerns and requests of
    CRRC for fiscal year 2020 appropriations for the Bureau of Indian
    Affairs (BIA). Our recurring funding is included in the
    administration's annual budget within the BIA's Tribal Management
    Development Program (TM/DP) account. The Bureau of Indian Affairs not
    only has a legal and contractual obligation to provide funding for the
    CRRC, but the CRRC is able to translate this funding into real economic
    opportunity for those living in the small Alaska Native villages
    located in Prince William Sound and Lower Cook Inlet. We leveraged a
    meager budget of well under a half million dollars in BIA funds and to
    operate with a budget of nearly $2 million to support community-based
    programs (almost a five-to-one ratio). In previous years, the
    administration has proposed to cut TMDP funding by 25 percent and slash
    our funding. Reducing the already-modest funding we and other
    organizations like ours receive would be a mistake, and we urge this
    Committee to consider expanding on the resources we have available to
    do our critical work.
        For example, a modest increase of $100,000 in fiscal year 2020
    funding for CRRC may translate into as much as $500,000 in additional
    revenues that we can use to serve our Alaska Native communities. As
    noted in the administration's budget request for fiscal year 2019
    concerning the BIA's TM/DP:

            [T]he Tribal Management/Development Program (TMDP) supports
            Tribal self- determination by allowing Tribal management of
            fish and game programs . . . Contract agreements are executed
            with individual fish and wildlife resource Tribes [and
            consortia] to accomplish management objectives. Tribes
            administer programs that contribute significantly towards
            economic development [].

        CRRC is an intertribal organization organized in 1984 by the seven
    Native Villages located in Prince William Sound and Lower Cook Inlet in
    South-central Alaska; namely, Tatitlek Village IRA Council, Chenega IRA
    Council, Port Graham Village Council, Nanwalek IRA Council, Native
    Village of Eyak, Qutekcak Native Tribe, and Valdez Native Tribe. The
    success of our programs, from both an economic and social standpoint,
    make them an integral part of our constituent Tribes' ongoing
    development. Reductions in our BIA funding will limit our outreach and
    ability to leverage additional Federal, State, local and other Tribal
    resources which are critical to our program's and our constituent
    Tribes' success.
        CRRC was created to address environmental and natural resources
    issues and to develop culturally-sensitive economic projects at the
    community level to support the sustainable development of the region's
    natural resources. The Native Villages' action to create a separate
    Tribal entity demonstrates the concern and importance the Tribal
    governments hold for environmental and natural resource management and
    protection--which is the wellspring for jobs and the perpetuation of
    our Alaska Native communities and culture.
        Through its many important programs, CRRC provides employment for
    up to 20 Native people in the Chugach Region annually--an area of high
    unemployment--through programs that conserve and restore our natural
    resources and ensure a future for our Tribal communities.
        Federal investment in CRRC has translated into real economic
    opportunities, savings and community investments that have a great
    impact on the Chugach region. Our employees are able to earn a living
    and support their families, thereby removing them from the rolls of
    people needing Alaska State and Federal support. This contributes to
    family and community stability and is a bulwark against depression,
    substance abuse, suicide and other ills that plague remote Tribal
    communities. With the job opportunities made possible by CRRC programs,
    Alaska Native members are able to reinvest their wages into the
    community, supporting the employment of and opportunities for other
    Alaska Native and non-Native families. Our programs also support future
    economic and commercial opportunities for the Prince William Sound and
    Lower Cook Inlet regions--protecting and developing our shellfish
    industry and other natural resources.
        Programs.--CRRC has leveraged its recurring BIA funding into almost
    $2 million to support our community-based programs. Specifically, the
    $410,000 in base funding provided through BIA appropriations has
    allowed CRRC to maintain core administrative operations and seek
    specific project funding from other sources such as the Administration
    for Native Americans (ANA), the State of Alaska, Bureau of Indian
    Affairs (BIA), U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the
    U.S. Department of Education, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee
    Council, the North Pacific Research Board and other foundations. This
    diverse funding pool has enabled CRRC to develop and operate several
    important programs that provide vital services, valuable products, and
    necessary employment and commercial opportunities. These programs
    include:
        Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery.--The Alutiiq Pride Shellfish
    Hatchery is the only shellfish hatchery in the State of Alaska. The
    20,000 square foot shellfish hatchery is located in Seward, Alaska, and
    houses shellfish seed (cockles, littlenecks and butter clams), brood
    stock and algae production facilities. Alutiiq Pride is undertaking a
    hatchery nursery operation, as well as grow-out operation research to
    adapt mariculture techniques for the Alaskan Shellfish industry. The
    Hatchery is also conducting scientific research on blue and red king
    crab as part of a larger federally-sponsored program.
        Alutiiq Pride has already been successful in culturing geoduck,
    oyster, littleneck clam, and razor clam species and is currently
    working on sea cucumbers. This research has the potential to
    dramatically increase commercial opportunities for the region in the
    future. The activities of Alutiiq Pride are especially important for
    the region; as the only shellfish hatchery in the State, it is uniquely
    qualified to carry out this research and production.
        Alutiiq Pride staff are working on developing a shellfish sanctuary
    concept in Port Graham and Resurrection Bay, acquiring land use permits
    from the Department of Natural Resources for Port Graham and from the
    Alaska Railroad for Resurrection Bay. Port Graham has been stocked with
    220 little neck, 200 cockles and 220 butter clam adults and CRRC is
    working to reduce predation and ensure greater survival rates.
        Alutiiq Pride also devotes considerable time to its Ocean
    Acidification (OA) monitoring lab, processing 300 discrete samples
    collected from villages and scientific partners. A Burk-O- Later, an
    instrument that tests for aragonite saturation, required for shellfish
    to form their shells, requires frequent maintenance and calibration.
        Alutiiq Pride recently implemented a preventive maintenance program
    to prolong the useful life of essential capital equipment. Alutiiq
    Pride installed chillers at its facility that were donated by the
    University of Alaska. The chillers will house king crab brood stock in
    the event water temperatures are too high. In 2016, warm waters caused
    the crabs to release their larvae early which reduced survivability.
        Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council.--As a member of the
    AMBCC, CRRC works with 10 Native non-profit organizations, the U.S.
    Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the State of Alaska to develop
    regulations governing the subsistence harvest of migratory birds during
    the spring and summer. As a result of many years representing the
    Chugach Region on the AMBCC, CRRC was unanimously selected to serve as
    the managing entity for the statewide program, housing staff in the
    CRRC office and providing overall management of the subsistence
    migratory bird program on behalf of the USFWS. Funding for this program
    comes from the USFWS to the Alaska Native non-profit organization
    through cooperative agreements. There is no specific line item for the
    AMBCC in the USFWS budget, so the Tribes do not know what level of
    funding will be available for the program, from year to year. In
    addition, funding decisions for the AMBCC are done internally at the
    USFWS, so there is no opportunity for input by the Tribes in this
    decisionmaking process. The Native Caucus of the AMBCC has directed the
    staff to pursue a Public Law 93-638 contract or compact with the USFWS
    and we are asking Congress to support this effort with $1 million in
    funding.
        Climate Change.--CRRC has been identifying and addressing climate
    needs relative to understudied resources of high cultural value to our
    member Tribes through its Climate Change Program. Changing climate
    affects ecosystems in the Gulf of Alaska, Prince William Sound, Cook
    Inlet, and the Kenai Peninsula in a variety of ways. CRRC's member
    Tribes are extremely susceptible to climate change from adverse effects
    relating to declining water resources, reduced aquaculture
    productivity, changing resource harvest patterns, and resource
    availability. This program addresses ecosystem information needs as it
    will demonstrate the need to integrate across information types (i.e.,
    weather, climate, socioeconomic, policy, and ecology) to better inform
    those involved in climate change-related decisionmaking for ecosystem
    management. Through your support for this project, we have been able to
    secure additional funding to focus on vulnerability assessments for key
    subsistence species, the development of an adaptation plan, and harmful
    algal blooms, and food security.
        Traditional Foods Security.--There is heightened concern about the
    availability of and the potential contaminants in the subsistence foods
    that Tribal members eat. The primary food sources have changed
    dramatically over the past 100 years. Traditional food systems such as
    hunting, fishing, and gathering have declined and there has been an
    increased reliance on store-bought foods. The intrinsic value of
    harvesting a local food sources in traditional ways cannot be
    overstated. Issues our member Tribes face include changing marine and
    terrestrial environments where traditional foods gathered in the forest
    and on the beaches near the villages are no longer available. The ways
    in which foods are produced, distributed and consumed have direct
    implications for the local economy and community.
        Bureau of Indian Affairs Invasive Species Program.--Each year, the
    Bureau of Indian Affairs announces grant opportunities through the BIA
    Natural Resources program. In the announcement under ``Project
    Eligibility'' it reads: ``Successful applications will focus on the
    management/control of invasive species on Tribal trust lands,
    individual Indian allotment lands, or in areas managed by Tribes
    through treaties or agreements.'' The Invasive Species Program is for
    invasive species on land managed by Tribes and is not intended for
    marine waters, since these are not areas managed by Tribes. Some of our
    Tribes, Nanwalek and Port Graham, have trust lands, the others, Chenega
    Bay, Eyak, Seward, Valdez and Tatitlek do not. Therefore, Nanwalek and
    Port Graham would be eligible for the Invasive Species Program funding
    for any work on those allotment lands, but CRRC could not implement a
    region-wide invasive species management approach. This funding is
    important to our Tribes. Coastal Tribes, especially those who rely on
    healthy marine ecosystems, are especially vulnerable to the potential
    harm of invasive species. CRRC's member Tribes are willing to initiate
    a proactive response to the dangers of invasive species, but the trust
    land requirement prevents them from participating.
                                   conclusion
        We urge the subcommittee and Congress to protect and increase
    CRRC's fiscal year 2019 appropriation level of $410,000 in the BIA's
    fiscal year 2020 budget for TMDP. We also, urge the subcommittee to
    support the AMBCC with additional funding and direct the BIA to move
    past its overly-restrictive eligibility requirements for the Invasive
    Species program. With a five-to-one return on every Federal dollar
    invested in CRRC, we clearly demonstrate our ability to effectively
    administer these dollars.
        Thank you for the opportunity to present our testimony.

        [This statement was submitted by Patricia K. Schwalenberg,
    Executive Director.]
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the Coalition Against Forest Pests

                                  SIGNATORIES:

    American Forests, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, California
      Forest Pest Council, Center for Invasive Species Prevention, Maine
        Forest Service, National Association of Forest Owners, National
     Woodland Owners Association, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation
    and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry, Vermont Woodlands Association

    Dear Honorable Chairwoman Murkowski, Honorable Ranking Member Udall,
    and Honorable Committee Members:

        The Coalition Against Forest Pests (CAFP) consists of non-profit
    organizations, for-profit entities, landowners, State agency
    associations and academic scholars who have joined together to improve
    our Nation's efforts to address forest health threats.
        We thank you for your continued support of USDA Forest Service
    State and Private Forestry programs in the fiscal year 2019 Omnibus
    bill. We write to ask your support for adequate funding of programs
    managed by the USDA Forest Service that help keep the Nation's forests
    healthy by preventing introduction and spread of invasive pests.
    Specifically, we ask the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and
    Related Agencies to maintain fiscal year 2019 funding levels in fiscal
    year 2020 and increase funding for specific programs with a long and
    effective history of detecting and eradicating non-native forest pests.
        Forested landscapes cover approximately one-third of the land area
    of the United States. All forests benefit Americans. Whether rural or
    urban; Federal, State or privately forests they provide wood products,
    jobs for rural economies, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, clean
    water and air, and aesthetic enjoyment.
           forest health and management programs on cooperative lands
        Maintaining or increasing funding for forest health management on
    cooperative lands is essential to ensuring the health and productivity
    of the Nation's forests, over 60 percent of which are State or
    privately owned. Forest-based rural economies and the thousands of jobs
    they support are also tied to healthy forests, not only in the forest
    products sector but for recreation industries as well. The economic
    well-being of tens of thousands of American families depends on healthy
    forests.
        Since fiscal year 2010, spending to combat 2011 specified non-
    native insects and pathogens decreased about 50 percent--to $12.8
    million in fiscal year 2018. Pest species suffering the largest cuts
    are the Asian longhorned beetle, hemlock woolly adelgid, oak wilt,
    sudden oak death, and the combination of gold spotted oak borer,
    thousand cankers disease, and laurel wilt. These pests do not limit
    themselves to destruction on federally owned lands.
        Since 2001, Oregon Department of Forestry, USFS, & BLM have spent
    an average of $1.9 million per year to treat Sudden Oak Death in Curry
    County, Oregon. Continuing this cooperative containment program is
    essential to protecting economic, cultural, aesthetic, and ecological
    values of southwest Oregon. Based on models of disease spread, recent
    economic analysis concluded that continuing to spend at approximately
    the same level--$30 million spent on slow the spread treatments over
    the next 20 years--could offset the loss of 1,200 jobs by 2028 and $580
    million in wages from 2028 to 2038.
        The Cooperative Forest Health Management program supports
    activities related to prevention, monitoring, suppression, and
    eradication of insects, diseases, and plants through technical and
    financial assistance to State forestry agencies who deal directly with
    private forest owners. Because forest pests and disease know no bounds,
    controlling pests on private lands can stop millions of dollars in
    damage to public lands and vice versa.

    CAFP supports funding the Forest Health Management on Cooperative Lands
    Program at $51 million and on National Forests at $59 million for
    fiscal year 2020.
           usda forest service forest and rangeland research program
        Effective programs to prevent, suppress, and eradicate non-native
    insects, diseases, and plants depend on understanding of the pest-host
    relationship gained through research.
        The Service's ability to carry out vitally important research on
    non-native insects, diseases, and plants has already been severely
    reduced by cuts in previous years. Funding for research conducted by
    the Research stations on 10 non-native pests has decreased from $10
    million in fiscal year 2010 to just $3 million in fiscal year 2018.
    Cuts of this magnitude cripple the Service's ability to develop
    effective tools to manage the growing number of pests threatening the
    health of the Nation's forests across all ownerships.

    CAFP supports funding the Forest and Rangeland Research Program in
    fiscal year 2020 at $303 million, of which $32 million should be
    allocated to invasive species research.
            usda forest service urban and community forests program
        Urban and community forests play a critical role in the health of
    our cities and the health our cities' residents. These forests and tree
    canopies provide noise abatement, temperature reductions, runoff
    filtration and flood control as well as improving the quality of life
    for those living in and around these green areas.
        When non-native insects and diseases attack trees and forests,
    enormous losses may arise. Most of the quantified costs are in cities
    and suburbs; across the country each year, municipal governments spend
    more than $2 billion per year to remove trees on city property that are
    killed by non-native pests. Homeowners spend $1 billion every year to
    remove and replace trees on their properties and absorb an additional
    $1.5 billion in reduced property values. As new pests are introduced,
    and established pests spread, these costs will only continue to rise.
        A considerable number of non-native invasive pests and diseases are
    introduced through cities. As noted above, these pests cost people
    living in these cities and suburbs--directly or through their local
    taxes--billions of dollars per year to remove and replace trees killed
    by the non-native pests. As new pests are introduced, and established
    pests spread, these costs will only continue to rise. For example, the
    polyphagous and Kuroshio shot hole borers are projected to cost
    municipalities and homeowners in California $36.2 billion if spread is
    not prevented.

    CAFP supports funding the Urban and Community Forests Program at $35
    million for fiscal year 2020.

        For further information, please contact Faith T. Campbell,
    Coalition Contact Person, Coalition Against Forest Pests, at
    phytodoer@aol.com.
                                     ______

           Prepared Statement of the Coalition for American Heritage
    Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee:

        Thank you for the opportunity to offer the Coalition for American
    Heritage's recommendations for fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment
    and Related Agencies appropriations.
        The Coalition for American Heritage (``the Coalition'') is an
    organization comprised of heritage professionals, scholars, small
    businesses, non-profits and history-lovers across the country. Our
    350,000 members work together to promote our Nation's commitment to
    historic preservation. Preserving historic resources helps stabilize
    neighborhoods, attract investment, create jobs, generate tax revenues,
    support small businesses, and power America's heritage tourism
    industry.
        To continue our country's proud tradition of preservation, the
    Coalition urges robust funding for all of the U.S. Department of the
    Interior's historic preservation and cultural management programs, and
    for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for
    the Humanities. Respectfully, the Coalition urges the Committee to
    approve the following funding levels for fiscal year 2020:

      --National Park Service (NPS): $2.5 billion
      --NPS Historic Preservation Fund: $148.5 million
      --NPS Deferred Maintenance: $476 million
      --NPS Office of International Affairs: $1.5 million
      --NPS National Heritage Areas and Heritage Partnership Program: $32
            million
      --Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Cultural Resources Management: $20
            million
      --BLM National Landscape Conservation System: $45 million
      --Department of Interior Land and Conservation Fund (LWCF): continued
            increase toward the full $900 million in dedicated funding from
            offshore mineral leasing revenues
      --National Endowment for the Arts (NEA): $167.5 million
      --National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): $167.5 million
                             national park service
        We urge the Committee to fund the NPS at the fiscal year 2019
    enacted level of $2.5 billion. The popularity of our national parks is
    at an all-time high. Our country cannot afford unwarranted reductions
    to visitor services and cuts to the responsible stewardship of our
    historic and cultural resources. The NPS is responsible for 418
    National Park System units. Over the past 20 years, more than 40 new
    parks have been added to the park system. Many recent additions
    preserve historic places and themes that have traditionally been
    underrepresented within the system.
        Within the $2.5 billion requested, we recommend robust funding for
    Resource Stewardship, including $1 million for the National Underground
    Railroad Network to Freedom, $2 million for the African American Civil
    Rights Network, and $2 million for the Reconstruction Era National
    Historic Network. Funding for these popular initiatives provides the
    public with valuable educational resources that honor and preserve our
    country's rich African American heritage and history for future
    generations.
                         nps historic preservation fund
        We urge the Committee to appropriate $148.5 million in fiscal year
    2020 for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), a vital program that, in
    partnership with States, local governments and Tribes, is the
    cornerstone of our country's historic preservation initiatives.

        Within the $148.5 million request, we recommend the following
    funding breakdown:

      --$60 million for State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs)for
            heritage preservation and protection programs.
      --$20 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs).
      --$5 million for a new competitive grant program to digitize, map and
            survey historic and cultural resources. Using this program,
            SHPOs and THPOs could create and enhance GIS-based maps of
            historic resources and develop predictive models. This
            investment would advance the faster, less expensive, and more
            efficient delivery of infrastructure projects while ensuring
            the protection of America's most cherished historic resources.
      --$30 million for competitive grants to document, interpret, and
            preserve historic sites associated with the Civil Rights
            Movement.
      --$15 million for Save America's Treasures grants for the
            preservation of nationally significant sites, structures and
            artifacts.
      --$10 million for grants to Historically Black Colleges and
            Universities to preserve and repair historic buildings.
      --$7.5 million for preservation grants to revitalize historic
            properties of national, State, and local significance.
      --$1 million for competitive grants for the survey and nomination of
            properties associated with communities currently
            underrepresented on the National Register of Historic Places
            and National Historic Landmarks.
                            nps deferred maintenance
        We urge the Committee to appropriate $476 million in fiscal year
    2020 to address the deferred maintenance backlog at America's national
    parks. Almost half of the current backlog concern historic assets.
    Robust investments in this area will contribute to the successful
    preservation of historic sites and structures and other NPS cultural
    resources. Without critically needed funding for repair and
    rehabilitation, these critical sites, buildings and artifacts that draw
    visitors to our national parks assets risk further deterioration and
    potential loss.

        Within the $476 million request, we recommend the following funding
    breakdown:

      --$160 million for Line Item Construction projects
      --$150 million for Repair and Rehabilitation
      --$166 million for Cyclic Maintenance

        Line Item Construction projects: We support at least $160 million
    toward addressing the needs of the highest priority non-transportation
    assets.
        Repair and Rehabilitation: We recommend $150 million, a $14 million
    increase above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The Committee's
    support for these programs has been very helpful in addressing the
    long-term maintenance needs at America's national parks over the past
    several years.
        Cyclic Maintenance: We recommend $160 for cyclic maintenance, a $15
    million increase above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. These
    efforts are critical to preventing assets from degrading to the point
    of needing repair. Performing regular maintenance will help prevent an
    increase in the number of deferred maintenance projects.
             national park service: office of international affairs
        We urge a $1.5 million fiscal year 2020 appropriation for the NPS
    Office of International Affairs. This funding would ensure that the
    United States can robustly engage in and support the World Heritage
    Program. Communities throughout the country are pursuing nominations of
    sites in their area to the World Heritage List, including Hopewell
    Ceremonial Earthworks in Ohio and Mount Vernon in Virginia. The Office
    of International Affairs is critical to shepherding advocates through
    the nominations process.
        The administration proposed to consolidate the Southwest Border
    Protection Program into the Office of International Affairs program. We
    are very concerned that this change would mean that the Office of
    International Affairs will not have the resources necessary to fulfill
    its mission effectively.
                          nps national heritage areas
        We recommend $32 million in funding for the Heritage Partnership
    Program and our National Heritage Areas (NHAs). Through the use of
    public-private partnerships, NHAs support historic preservation,
    heritage tourism, and recreation. These programs collaborate with
    communities to make heritage relevant to local interests and needs.
                       blm cultural resources management
        We urge the Committee to appropriate $20 million, a modest increase
    of $3 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The increase is
    necessary to fulfill the BLM's substantial workload requirements under
    the National Historic Preservation Act, for land use assessments (up to
    13,000 per year) and inventory and protection of cultural resources.
    The increase would support surveys of sensitive areas, site protection
    and stabilization projects for sites vulnerable to unauthorized
    activities and damage due to fire, erosion and changing water levels.
    Increased funding would also support updated predictive modeling and
    data analysis to enhance the BLM's ability to address large-scale,
    cross-jurisdictional land-use projects. To support the effective
    implementation of the increased appropriation level, we further
    recommend that the Committee encourage the BLM to promote inventory
    information-sharing with State and Tribal historic preservation
    officers.
                   blm national landscape conservation system
        We urge a $45 million fiscal year 2020 appropriation for the
    National Landscape Conservation System. An increase in base funding
    will prevent critical damage to 36 million acres of congressionally and
    presidentially designated National Monuments, National Conservation
    Areas, Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas, National Scenic and Historic
    Trails, and Wild Scenic Rivers. Increased funding will ensure proper
    management and provide for a quality visitor experience.
        We urge the Committee to reject the administration's proposed cuts
    to the Oregon and California Grants Lands programs, which would result
    in reduced visitor services, decreased maintenance and care of trails,
    and fewer educational and interpretive resources.
                        blm land water conservation fund
        We urge the Committee to reject the administration's drastic cuts
    to the LWCF. Instead, we urge the Committee to continue increasing LWCF
    funding toward the full $900 million from offshore mineral leasing
    revenues that is dedicated to the LWCF annually. Many of our country's
    most significant historic and cultural landscapes have been permanently
    protected through LWCF investments, including Martin Luther King Jr.
    National Historic Park, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and
    Hopewell Culture National Historic Park. In total, more than $550
    million has been invested to acquire historic sites and 137,000 acres
    in 162 NPS units.
        Within LWCF funding, we urge the Committee to fund the American
    Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) at $10 million in fiscal year
    2020. Through public-private partnerships, the ABPP has helped
    communities to preserve more than 100 historic battlefields in 42
    States and territories. In protecting the hallowed ground upon which so
    many Americans fought and died, the ABPP preserves a valuable part of
    our shared history.
        independent agencies: advisory council on historic preservation
        We request $7 million for the Advisory Council on Historic
    Preservation (ACHP), to fund its work to administer the rulemaking
    process for historic preservation law, assist in resolving conflicts
    from historic resource reviews, and provide advice on historic
    preservation.
              national endowments for the arts and the humanities
        The Coalition urges the Committee to fund the NEA and the NEH at
    $167.5 million in fiscal year 2020. Robust funding for the NEA and NEH
    is critical to communities across America. For example, support from
    the NEA has created programs like Arts and Shadows at the Shadows-on-
    the-Teche in Louisiana that put regionally-based artists in residence
    at the site, resulting in programming that attracted new audiences and
    served as a prototype for broader arts-focused programming that draws
    people to the town's commercial district. The NEA is also a
    collaborator in the Blue Star Museums program, which offers America's
    active duty military families free admission to more than 2,000 museums
    every summer. NEH support has brought teachers from around the country
    to learn about history in the places that it was made, and to carry
    those experiences back to their classrooms.
        The Coalition is grateful to the Committee for the opportunity to
    offer its perspective on fiscal year 2020 appropriations for the
    Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The
    Coalition stands ready to work with the Committee on finding common
    ground to achieve the fiscal year 2020 funding levels that will support
    and enhance historic preservation.

        [This statement was submitted by Marion Werkheiser, Policy
    Director.]
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski,        The Honorable Tom Udall,
      Chair                                Ranking Minority Member
    Subcommittee on Interior,            Subcommittee on Interior,
     Environment and Related Agencies     Environment and Related Agencies
    S-128 Capitol                        S-146A Capitol
    U.S. Senate                          U.S. Senate
    Washington, D.C. 20510               Washington, D.C. 20510

    Dear Chair Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        The undersigned members of the Coalition for the Delaware River
    Watershed request continued support for programs that are essential to
    protecting and restoring natural resources throughout the Delaware
    River Watershed, a 5-State region (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
    Delaware, and Maryland) that drains into the Delaware River and
    Delaware Bay. The watershed serves as the drinking water source for
    more than 15 million people, or roughly 5 percent of the U.S.
    population in the densely populated Mid-Atlantic region. The Delaware
    River Watershed also generates $25 billion in annual economic activity,
    including agriculture, recreation and eco-tourism, hunting and fishing,
    port benefits, commercial fishing, and it supports at least 600,000
    jobs with over $10 billion in annual wages.
        Congress affirmed the importance of protecting the natural
    resources of the Delaware River Watershed when it passed, with
    bipartisan support and leadership, the Delaware River Basin
    Conservation Act in December 2016. The Act directed the U.S. Fish and
    Wildlife Service to establish the Delaware River Basin Restoration
    Program, a non-regulatory effort that leverages private investment,
    regional partnerships, and local knowledge to protect and restore the
    resources of the watershed. The Program was appropriated $5 million in
    fiscal year 2018 and increased to $6 million in fiscal year 2019,
    representing a critical investment in the future of our region.
        To continue on the path toward a restored, and preserved watershed,
    critical for our regional economy and wildlife species, we respectfully
    request funding for the following programs in fiscal year 2020:

                           department of the interior
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service--Delaware River Basin Restoration
            Program--$10 million
        The non-regulatory Delaware River Basin Restoration Program has at
    its centerpiece a grants program, the Delaware Watershed Conservation
    Fund, launched in August 2018. The first round of funding was awarded
    to 25 worthy on-the-ground conservation and restoration projects
    throughout the watershed. Funded projects will conserve and restore
    fish and wildlife habitat, improve and maintain water quality, sustain
    and enhance water management and reduce flood damage, and improve
    recreational opportunities and public access in the Delaware River
    Watershed. To continue the success of this tremendously successful
    program, funding must be increased from the current fiscal year 2019
    level of $6 million to meet new project demands and adequately address
    the issues threatening the future of the watershed, such as polluted
    stormwater, overdevelopment, and habitat loss.
    National Park Service--Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers Program--
            $3.051 million
        The Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers Program protects nationally
    significant rivers that flow through privately-owned or State-owned
    lands within the United States by preserving them in a natural, free-
    flowing condition. It engages private interests and all levels of
    government in studying, planning, and managing the rivers for the
    benefit of future generations. There are 400 miles of designated Wild
    and Scenic River in the Delaware River Watershed, including 60 percent
    of the Delaware River (New Jersey & Pennsylvania), the Maurice River
    (New Jersey), the Musconetcong River (New Jersey), and White Clay Creek
    Watershed (Delaware & Pennsylvania). This is the largest concentration
    of designated miles in a single watershed east of the Mississippi
    River. Partnership Rivers are managed locally, with the National Park
    Service providing support and funding via cooperative agreements.
    Providing full funding for the Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers
    Program ensures effective and efficient implementation of approved
    conservation plans, while providing equitable funding for newly
    designated rivers.
           department of the interior/u.s. department of agriculture
    National Park Service/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/U.S. Forest
            Service--Land and Water Conservation Fund--$900 million
        The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) remains the premier
    Federal program to conserve our Nation's land, water, historic, and
    recreational heritage. LWCF funds support for an entire suite of
    conservation tools to address national, State, local, and regionally-
    driven priorities across the country. Over the last 50 years, the 5
    States in the watershed have received over $1 billion from this fund to
    support public lands including the Delaware River Watershed's 6
    National Wildlife Refuges, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
    Area, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, other Federal sites, and
    hundreds of State and local parks. In addition, several open space
    projects in the region are currently pending LWCF funding, such as
    Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the Northeast Connection Forest
    Legacy Programs, and Highlands Conservation Act projects. Support for
    public lands among the American public remains consistently and
    overwhelmingly strong and bipartisan. We respectfully request that LWCF
    is reliably and robustly funded to ensure that it plays the strongest
    possible role in revitalizing communities.
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency--Clean Water State Revolving Fund-
            $5 billion and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund--$5 billion
        The Delaware River Watershed requires protective and well-resourced
    water infrastructure systems to overcome the challenges of aged and
    over-burdened systems. We respectfully request robust funding for
    programs and agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection
    Agency (EPA), to ensure clean water is available to support businesses
    and communities affordably. The EPA estimates a need of $384.2 billion
    for nationwide water infrastructure investments. The Clean Water State
    Revolving Fund (SRF) and the Drinking Water SRF help communities across
    the Nation address their local water infrastructure needs by providing
    low interest loans to local governments. Thus, the Coalition requests
    $5 billion for the Clean Water SRF, tripling current fiscal year 2019
    funding, and $5 billion for the Drinking Water SRF to dramatically
    improve water quality and protect human health in our region and across
    the Nation. We urge dedicating 20 percent of the Clean Water SRF funds
    for green infrastructure and innovation projects to improve stormwater
    management, which in turn mitigates flooding, improves water quality,
    and creates green space. These funds should be accompanied by Federal
    technical assistance to help States raise awareness of green
    infrastructure's benefits and build demand for green projects.
        Thank you for considering our requests. Please contact Sandra
    Meola, Director of the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, if
    you have any questions about our position on this or any other issues
    at Sandra.meola@njaudubon.org.

    Sincerely,

    American Littoral Society
    American Rivers
    American Sustainable Business Council
    Appalachian Trail Conservancy
    Appalachian Mountain Club
    Aquaschiocola/Pohopoco Watershed Conservancy
    Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC)
    Audubon Pennsylvania
    Basha Kill Area Association
    Berks Nature
    Brodhead Chapter Trout Unlimited
    Bucks County Audubon Society
    Catskill Mountainkeeper
    Christina Conservancy, Inc.
    Citizens'Climate Lobby--Lower DE
    Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc.
    Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania
    Conserve Wildlife Foundation
    Darby Creek Valley Association
    Delaware Canal 21
    Delaware Electric Vehicle Association
    Delaware Highlands Conservancy
    Delaware Nature Society
    Delaware Ornithological Society
    Delaware Rural Water Association
    Ducks Unlimited
    Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation
    Eastern Waters Council of Fly Fishers International
    Environmental Justice Center of Chestnut Hill United Church
    Environment New Jersey
    Equinunk Watershed Alliance
    Forks of the Delaware Chapter of Trout Unlimited
    Friends of Cherry Valley
    Friends of the Abbott Marshlands
    Friends of Heinz Refuge
    Friends of the Upper Delaware River
    Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association
    Greenbelt Overhaul Alliance of Levittown
    Greentreks Network, Inc.
    Green Valleys Watershed Association
    Isles, Inc.
    Kirkwood Lake Environmental Committee
    Lake Hopatcong Foundation
    Land Conservancy of NJ
    Lehigh River Stocking Association
    Lighthawk
    Musconetcong Watershed Association
    National Audubon Society
    National Parks Conservation Association
    National Wildlife Federation
    Natural Lands Trust
    New Jersey Audubon
    New Jersey Conservation Foundation
    New Jersey Council of Trout Unlimited
    New Jersey Environmental Lobby
    New Jersey Highlands Coalition
    New Jersey League of Conservation Voters
    New Jersey Trout Unlimited
    New York League of Conservation Voters
    New York State Council of Trout Unlimited
    Newtown Creek Coalition
    North Jersey RC&D
    Northeast Pennsylvania Audubon Society Chapter
    PennFuture
    Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited
    Pennsylvania Land Trust Association
    Pennsylvania Resources Council
    Pinelands Preservation Alliance
    Pocono Heritage Land Trust
    Rancocas Pathways, Inc.
    Riverfront North
    Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Inc.
    Shehawken Trout Unlimited
    South Jersey Land & Water Trust
    Southeast Montco Trout Unlimited
    The Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway Alliance
    The Watershed Institute
    Tobyhanna Creek/Tunkhannock Creek Watershed Association
    Tookany-Tacony/Frankford Watershed Partnership Inc.
    Trout Unlimited
    University of Delaware Delaware Water Resources Center
    Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition
    Urban Promise/UrbanTrekkers
    Valley Forge Trout Unlimited
    Water Defense
    Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley
    Western Pocono Trout Unlimited
    White Clay Watershed Association
    Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association

                                     ______

           Prepared Statement of the Coalition for Healthier Schools
    Dear Chairman Shelby and Vice Chairman Leahy, Chairwoman Murkowski and
    Ranking Member Udall:

        The undersigned members of the national Coalition for Healthier
    Schools representing millions of K-12 school and childcare
    stakeholders, urge you to include in the fiscal year 2020 budget a $65
    million Healthy Schools Program at EPA. This represents $1 per child
    enrolled in schools and childcare and is an increase to the President's
    proposed EPA budget request of $50 million for a similar annual
    program. Funds should be to advance EPA capacity and outreach
    activities to address healthier schools and childcare facilities for
    all children, as described in EPA's March 2019 press release on the
    proposed new Program (see below):

              EPA: ``Protecting children's health is a top priority for
            EPA, and this new funding would help school's address poor and
            deteriorating conditions that can harm children's health and
            stymie academic progress,'' said EPA Administrator Andrew
            Wheeler. ``This grant program would help schools, especially
            those in underserved communities, reduce exposures to
            environmental hazards, create healthier learning environments,
            and ensure children can reach their fullest potential.'' . . .
              ``The Healthy Schools Grant Program is a comprehensive
            environmental health grant program with the goal of identifying
            and addressing environmental health risks in and around schools
            that contribute to increased absenteeism and reduced academic
            performance. The program would provide a total of $50 million
            for schools to identify, prevent, reduce and resolve
            environmental hazards including:

              --reducing childhood lead exposure;
              --reducing asthma triggers;
              --promoting integrated pest management; and
              --reducing or eliminating childhood exposure to one or more
            toxic chemicals in schools.

              Eligible recipients would include State and local
            governments, federally recognized Tribal governments, and non-
            profit organizations.

        As described by EPA, the Program should offer an array of cross-
    media planning and education and training grants at multiple levels and
    constituencies--national, regional, NGOs--and not be restricted to only
    States and Tribes. Relevant EPA offices that must be resourced and
    engaged are the Office of Air and Radiation/Indoor Environments
    Division, Office of Chemical Safety, Office of Research, Office of
    Water Quality, and Office of Children's Health Protection. Importantly,
    either EPA or the appropriations bill text should identify the EPA
    office to lead the effort. In our combined decades of experiences, it
    should be an office with robust K-12 staff expertise and other
    resources. The Indoor Environments Division has the most relevant
    experience: a 25-year record of structured grant making and successful
    work with the States, Tribes, NGOs, and K-12 and childcare leaders and
    personnel.
        We agree with Administrator Wheeler that every child--and
    especially the highest risk little learners--needs a healthful learning
    environment. Due to sustained cuts to EPA's core offices and cuts by
    States to education over the last few years, fewer schools today than
    10 years ago are actively addressing indoor air, mold remediation, and
    hazardous chemicals management. Furthermore, EPA's critical guidance
    documents on energy saving and test score-boosting facility retrofits
    (better lighting, ventilation) and on siting of new facilities (away
    from flood zones, industrial facilities) have never moved into active
    use in the field, due chiefly to the absence of EPA grants.
        The proposed program would not provide funds for school or
    childcare construction or maintenance. However, EPA can spur the
    education and training for those responsible for school and childcare
    facilities, as well as parents and others concerned for children's
    well-being. A relatively small $65 million annual investment by EPA
    should stress preventing small problems (roof leaks) from becoming
    expensive health threats (mold infestations) to children and personnel
    alike, and could yield big benefits in attendance and seat time that
    outweigh local costs. Prevention is better than remediation.
        In 2017 America's School Infrastructure earned a D+ from the
    American Society of Civil Engineers. In the same year, the Harvard Chan
    School of Public Health released a landmark report detailing how
    unhealthy school facilities damage children's ``health, thinking, and
    learning.'' The Harvard findings are echoed in research previously
    produced by the University of Tulsa, University of California at
    Berkeley, and in countless other studies in the U.S. and across Europe
    and Scandinavia.
        Every school day there are some 65 million children in schools and
    childcare facilities. The research has shown that

      --indoor environmental exposures to pollutants can be more intense
            than outdoor exposures;
      --educators are often unaware of how facility problems impact
            children;
      --school and childcare facilities are filled with asthma triggers
            such as dusts, molds, chemical fumes, pests and pesticides,
            other contaminants;
      --poor indoor school environments decrease attention, seat time,
            attendance, and test scores; and,
      --poor indoor environmental quality increases asthma and other health
            complaints, thus increasing healthcare costs for children and
            school faculty and staff.

        This Coalition's letter to the appropriators in 2018 urged that
    EPA's final budget include the allocations to various EPA offices based
    on $1/child in schools and in childcare, We urge you again, in light of
    the President and EPA's recognition of these issues in the President's
    fiscal year 2020 Budget Request, to do the same over fiscal year 2019:

      --$35 Million for cross-agency Leadership and program implementation
            by EPA's Indoor Environments Division-Reducing the Risks of
            Indoor Air to advance healthy indoor environments in schools
            and childcare centers with guidelines, grants to the field,
            annual symposia, webinars, and to provide inter agency Federal
            leadership on school infrastructure concerns;
      --$5 million for EPA's Office of Children's Health to strengthen
            pediatric environmental health capacity to address children
            with suspected exposures in schools and child care settings;
      --$5 million for EPA's Drinking Water office to disseminate user-
            friendly guidance to key school and childcare stakeholders
            regarding lead in drinking and cooking water;
      --$10 million for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety to strengthen its
            guidelines and enforcements that address legacy toxics in
            schools such as asbestos, lead, PCBs, and pesticides, and to
            encourage the safe management and disposal of hazardous
            chemicals in schools;
      --$10 million for EPA's Office of Research to strengthen and expand
            its research into children's exposures in the school and
            childcare settings.

        We urge the U.S. Senate to include $65 Million over fiscal year
    2019 in EPA appropriations for restoring and expanding EPA's proven
    healthy schools and healthy kids programs and annual symposia that
    educate schools and child care entities on how to site, design,
    maintain and operate buildings to prevent or address common problems,
    such as: indoor air pollution, dampness and molds, lead in drinking
    water and paint, pests and pesticides, hazardous chemical management,
    legacy toxics like PCBs, and more. The EPA programs also support public
    health services for children with suspected environmental exposures in
    these settings.

        Sincerely,

                                 ORGANIZATIONS

    Alaska Community Action on Toxics
    American Public Health Association
    Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
    Association of Asthma Educators (PA)
    Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO
    International)
    Breast Cancer Prevention Partners
    Californians for Pesticide Reform
    Cancer Prevention Coalition for Los Angeles (CA)
    Center for Environmental Health
    Child Care Aware of America
    Children's Environmental Health Center of the Hudson Valley at New York
    Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children's Hospital (NY)
    Children's Environmental Health Network
    Children's Environmental Protection Alliance (AL)
    Coalition for Environmentally Safe Schools (MA)
    Collaborative for High Performance Schools
    The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center at Hackensack UMC (NJ)
    Earth Day Network
    Education Law Center
    Empire State Consumer Project (NY)
    First Focus
    Great Lakes Center for Children's Environmental Health (IL)
    Green Schools National Network
    Healthy Legacy (MN)
    Health Promotion Consultants (VA)
    Health Resources in Action
    Healthy Schools PA/Women for a Healthy Environment
    Healthy Schools Network, Inc.
    Improving Kids' Environment (IN)
    IPM Institute of North America
    Learning Disabilities Associations of America
    Learning Disabilities Association of Arkansas
    Learning Disabilities Association of Georgia
    Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois
    Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa
    Learning Disabilities Association of Maine
    Learning Disabilities Association of Maryland
    Learning Disabilities Association of Minnesota
    Learning Disabilities Association of Pennsylvania
    Learning Disabilities Association of New Jersey
    Learning Disabilities Association of Oklahoma
    Learning Disabilities Association of South Carolina
    Learning Disabilities Association of Tennessee
    Learning Disabilities Association of Texas
    Learning Disabilities Association of Utah
    Maine PTA
    Maryland Children's Environmental Health Coalition
    Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health
    Midwest Pesticide Action Center
    The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health
    National Center for Environmental Health Strategies
    National Association of County and City Health Officials
    Nontoxic Certified (NY)
    Pesticide Action Network of North America
    Occupational Health & Safety Section of the American Public Health
    Association
    Ohio Public Health Association
    Parents for Students Safety (TN)
    Partners for a Healthier Community (MA)
    Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management Program
    Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition (MA)
    Project Green Schools (MA)
    Regional Asthma Management and Prevention (RAMP--CA)
    Responsible Purchasing Network
    School-Based Health Alliance
    School Based Health Alliance of Arkansas
    Sierra Club
    South Texas Asthma Coalition
    Toxics Information Project (TIP--RI)
    Valley Community Healthcare (CA)
    Western New York Council on Occupational Safety & Health

           INDIVIDUALS (affiliations for informational purposes only)

    Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, Nuiqsut (AK)
    Abbey Alkon, RN, PhD, UCSF (CA)
    Louis Allen, MD
    David Ammend, MD, NW Passage, (WI)
    Gary Arthur, Issaquah Educ. Assoc. (WA)
    Elgin Avila, MPH, Eq. Health Solutions
    Noam H. Arzt, PhD (CA)
    Kesha Baptiste-Roberts, PhD, MPH, Morgan State University (MD)
    Carl R. Baum, MD, Yale School of Medicine
    Gloria E. Barrera, MSN, RN (IL)
    Chelsey E. Brown, MPH (LA)
    Carla C Campbell, MD, MS, FAAP, University of Texas at El Paso
    Beverly Chester, MPH (OH)
    David Chester, Capt. USMC (OH)
    Laurie Costello, MD (CO)
    Richard Crume, Env. Engineer (KY)
    Marcia Deegler, MS (MA)
    Amanda Farr, MPH (CA)
    Mary Gant, Green Science Policy Institute
    Augusta Gross, PhD (NY)
    Chip Halverson, ND, Northwest Center for Biological Medicine (OR)
    Katharine Hawkes, MPH (VA)
    Brent Ibata, PhD, JD, MPH, FACHE (FL)
    Tenaya Jackman, MPH (HI)
    Jyotsna Jagai, MS, MPH, PhD, Chair, APHA Environment Section (IL)
    Jazmine Kenny, MSPH (CA)
    Jerry Lamping, Take Care of Your Classroom Air (TX)
    Paul Landsbergis, PhD, MPH, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
    Patricia A. Lasley, MPH, Great Lakes Center for Children's
    Environmental Health (IL)
    Larry K. Lowry, Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health
    (TX)
    Daniel Lefkowitz (NY)
    Jennifer Lam, MS, RDN (WI)
    Megan Latshaw, PHD, MPH (MD)
    Elinor Mattern, MPH (CA)
    Annika Montag, PhD, (CA)
    Virginia Mott (ME)
    Christina Olbrantz, MPH, Columbia University
    Larry K. Olsen, DrPH, MCHES (NM)
    Jerome A. Paulson, MD, FAAP, Emeritus, George Washington University
    Milken Institute School of Public Health
    Suzette Phillips, MA (Washington, DC)
    Joseph Ponessa PhD, Rutgers University (NJ)
    Rachel Powell, PhD, MPH (GA)
    Marjorie Sable, DrPH (MO)
    Natalie R Sampson, PhD, MPH, UMI/Dearborn (MI)
    Chelsea Alexandra Schafer, California State University, Northridge (CA)
    Hani Serag, MD, MPH (TX)
    Craig Slatin, ScD, UMass/Lowell (MA)
    Lindsay Tallon, PhD, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health
    Sciences
    Evelyn Tejeda, MPH (GA)
    Joan K. Teach, PhD (GA)
    Mariana Torchia (CA)
    Theodora Tsongas, PhD, MS (OR)
    vity Jasmine Uysal, MPH (CA)
    Jeff Vincent, PhD, UC Berkeley (CA)
    Kim Whitmore, PhD, RN, UW/Madison (WI)
    Chelsea Schafer, MPH, CHES, Los Angeles Valley College (CA)
    Yolanda Whyte, MD, Whyte Pediatrics

        CONTACT: Claire Barnett, Coordinator, Coalition for Healthier
    Schools, info@healthyschools.org.

                                     ______

              Prepared Statement of the Coalition Supporting USGS
                      Streamgage Networks & Modernization
                      water data & science program funding
    Dear Senator Murkowski and Senator Udall:

        As leaders in the undersigned organizations, we urge your support
    to enable the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a Bureau in the Department
    of Interior (DOI) to fully support its streamgaging networks. These
    vital networks, managed within the USGS Groundwater and Streamflow
    Information Program, serve the national interest with continuous
    streamflow information at over 8,200 locations. But additions to these
    networks are needed to adequately manage the Nation's critical water
    supplies and infrastructure. The members of our organizations rely on
    the streamgage data and science that USGS produces and many of us
    represent active, cost-share partners in funding the data collection
    that Congress and the Federal agencies require.
        Information from these valuable streamgages are utilized by water
    supply managers, water quality administrators, emergency responders,
    consulting engineers, recreationists and many others in forecasting and
    response during floods, droughts, and other extreme events, design of
    bridges and other infrastructure, energy generation, management of
    Federal lands, design and operation of Federal reservoirs and
    navigation infrastructure. These networks provide critical information
    to other bureaus of the DOI and to the Corps of Engineers, NOAA, EPA,
    USDA, and other Federal agencies, as well as providing information
    essential to congressional oversight and revision of many Federal laws,
    including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Safe Drinking
    Water Act, and many interstate compacts and international treaties.

        Federal Priority Streamgage Network: (formerly referred to as the
    National Streamflow Information Program, ``NSIP''), was authorized by
    Congress in 2009, to operate and maintain a stable ``Federal backbone''
    network of streamgages to meet five specific national needs for
    streamflow information at (1) interstate and international boundaries,
    (2) National Weather Service flood forecast sites, (3) outflows of
    major river basins, (4) ``sentinel watersheds,'' needed to evaluate and
    anticipate the potential consequences of ongoing changes in American
    land use, water use, climate etc., and (5) national priority water-
    quality monitoring sites. Our national ability to collect sufficient
    water data at the needed locations to answer the necessary Federal,
    State, Tribal, local, business and NGO questions is seriously
    compromised by the insufficient funding for the Federal Priority
    Streamgage Network.
        Today, less than 25 percent of the Federal Priority Streamgages are
    fully funded by the Federal Government. The USGS is unable to complete
    development of the Network, as Congress directed in 2009, without
    additional funding. Full implementation of the Federal Priority
    Streamgage Network is estimated at $125 million. Requested Funding
    Level by this Coalition for Federal Priorities Streamgages is $27.5
    million for fiscal year 2020.

        Cooperative Matching Funds: The USGS works with over a thousand
    partners Nation-wide (Federal, State, Tribal, local, and NGO) using
    Cooperative Matching Funds to jointly support USGS streamgages, many of
    which meet the criteria of the Federal Priority network. This matching
    program, which began as a 50-50 program, has seen the non-Federal cost-
    share contribution increase from 50 percent to over 70 percent.
    Restoring this program to a 50-50 percent cost share is estimated to
    require $70 million. Requested Funding Level by this Coalition for
    Cooperative Matching Funds for Streamgage Network is $33 million for
    fiscal year 2020.

        Modernization of the Networks and Data Delivery: Much of the basic
    operations of the streamgaging networks is based on technology that is
    seven or eight decades old. Innovations are necessary to enable scarce
    dollars to effectively measure, monitor, and understand the Nation's
    water resources. The Next Generation (NextGen) Water Observation System
    exemplifies innovative data collection equipment and data delivery and
    the potential to support water prediction and decision-support systems
    for emergencies and daily water operations.

        Next Generation Water Observation System: Our coalition very much
    appreciates Congress' support of this innovative program. Build-out of
    NextGen envisions focused monitoring in 10 basins nationwide to better
    calibrate modeling, thus improving the ability to estimate water supply
    in the Nation's many ungaged areas. The Delaware River basin was
    selected as the pilot basin, first of the 10 envisioned. The USGS's 10-
    year plan for implementation of Next Gen calls for $7.8M/year in order
    to equip one additional basin per year. Requested Funding Level by this
    Coalition for NextGen Equipment for Implementation is $7.8 M and for
    Operation and Maintenance is $4.5 million for fiscal year 2020.
        To fully capitalize on the robust data collected in the NextGen
    basins, modernization of data delivery is also required. Aging legacy
    software systems with a growing maintenance burden need to be updated
    to a robust and scalable IT water infrastructure that positions us for
    the future. This transformation is needed to enable management of new
    data and sensor networks, support integration of the best water data
    available from across multiple agencies and sectors, feed data and
    analytical products forward into the National Water Model, and
    ultimately provide feedback to optimize and evolve the system. The new
    system must deliver data and advanced model results through innovative
    online tools to meet the Nation's water challenges over the coming
    decades. Requested Funding Level by this Coalition for Modernization of
    USGS Data Management, Integration and Delivery Infrastructure is $9.0 M
    for fiscal year 2020.
        With your help, we hope that Congress will enable the USGS to
    fulfill its Water Resources Mission Area, including working toward full
    implementation of the Federal Priority Network, adequately funding the
    Cooperative Matching Funds for streamgaging and moving water science
    into the 21st century through much needed modernization upgrades.
        We are happy to answer your questions or provide additional
    information; please contact any of us or Sue Lowry at the Interstate
    Council on Water Policy (Sue.ICWP@gmail.com).

    Sincerely,

                                     ______

    Prepared Statement of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks
        Sen. Murkowski, Sen. Udall, and Members of the subcommittee, thank
    you for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of the Coalition
    to Protect America's National Parks (Coalition) regarding the fiscal
    year 2020 Budget for the National Park Service.
        I am a long-time member of the Coalition, including having served
    as the chair of the Executive Council for the past year. I retired from
    the National Park Service in 2013 after 8 years as superintendent of
    Blue Ridge Parkway, and a total of 41 years of government service with
    the NPS. My work with the Park Service included service as
    administrative officer at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military
    Park, Shenandoah National Park, and Yosemite National Park. I also
    served as associate regional director, administration, for the
    Southwest region, and as deputy superintendent of Great Smoky
    Mountains, including 3 years as acting superintendent.
        The Coalition is comprised of more than 1,700 members who
    collectively have more than 40,000 years of experience managing and
    protecting national parks. We believe that our parks and public lands
    represent the very best of America, and advocate for their protection.
        National parks host millions of visitors annually who come to enjoy
    the spectacular natural, historic, and cultural resources that the
    parks preserve. The National Park Service also touches the lives of
    even more of our citizens through a number of grant and technical
    assistance programs, which facilitate the preservation of our Nation's
    natural, cultural, and historic resources in a partnership between the
    National Park Service and hundreds of individuals and organizations
    throughout the country.
        This work would not be possible without regular, annual
    appropriations from Congress to support over 23,000 employees and
    400,000 volunteers who are dedicated to preservation and guiding the
    enjoyment of these special places. The Coalition is relieved that the
    fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill for the National Park Service was
    finally enacted after the long, partial Federal Government shutdown. We
    are particularly pleased to see that Congress rejected the large budget
    cuts presented by the administration and, instead, produced a
    bipartisan Department of the Interior Appropriations Act as part of the
    Consolidated Appropriations Act, which provided $3.22 billion for NPS,
    which is $20 million above the amount from fiscal year 2018, and $521
    million above the president's request.
        We are pleased that there is an additional $6.2 million for more
    park rangers, for we fully appreciate that more rangers are needed to
    ensure that the needs of park visitors are met and that park resources
    are protected. Also, we are glad to see fixed costs being provided to
    NPS so that park and program office staffing levels do not suffer
    further erosion because they have to absorb these costs within their
    existing budgets. And we welcome inclusion of modest amounts of funding
    for newly established parks to ensure that protection and visitor
    services are established as soon as possible at these sites.
        Further, we welcome the continued support of the construction
    program and the Centennial Challenge funds as a means of addressing the
    deferred maintenance backlog. Additionally, the support provided for
    historic preservation programs and our heritage areas will help
    maintain both park resources and significant structures found
    throughout the country.
        The Trump administration's fiscal year 2020 budget proposes a 14.9
    percent cut to the National Park Service budget, when compared to the
    appropriations enacted by Congress for fiscal year 2019. It represents
    an enormous threat to the protection and preservation of our national
    parks, which are suffering from significant reductions in staffing due
    to decreased annual appropriations in the past decade. Effectively
    managing the high visitation at our parks is proving more and more
    challenging with funding that has not kept up with the National Park
    Service's costs. And, the backlog of deferred maintenance projects
    continues to grow.
        We continue to hear so much discussion about the maintenance
    backlog of the National Park Service that we worry that the deferred
    maintenance backlog is the only issue facing the NPS that gets
    attention from members of Congress and the public. Accordingly, our
    goal is to encourage comprehensive understanding about what is needed
    to protect the important natural, historic, and cultural resources
    under the care of the Park Service, as well as what is needed to
    provide for a quality visitor experience. Clearly, adequate levels of
    annual appropriations are required to ensure the best possible visitor
    experience, to ensure that irreplaceable resources are protected, and
    to address the maintenance backlog,
        Even with the increased appropriations provided during the last two
    fiscal years by this subcommittee, parks are not yet able to achieve
    these basic purposes. Parks still suffer from significant reductions in
    staffing over the past decade due to decreased annual appropriations
    over that time period. To put this in perspective, appropriations for
    the National Park Service were $3.275 billion in fiscal year 2009, a
    full 10 years ago. This is $53 million more than was just appropriated
    for NPS in fiscal year 2019. With inflation increasing by 17.3 percent
    since 2009, the NPS would need $3.84 billion in appropriations this
    year just to stay even with inflation. Thus, the Coalition requests NPS
    appropriations be increased by $565 million in fiscal year 2020 to
    bring the NPS back to the level of services the agency provided back in
    fiscal year 2009.
        NPS annual appropriations must be spread thinner as Congress
    continues to increase the responsibilities given to the Park Service
    through the addition of new parks and programs. Over the last 10 years,
    NPS has been directed to manage 27 new parks, 5 more national trails, 5
    new wild and scenic rivers, and to coordinate assistance for 3 new
    affiliated areas and 9 national heritage areas, along with 8 grant
    programs. Park visitation remains high with 331 million people visits
    in 2016, with an estimated $18.2 billion economic impact in local
    gateway regions. While this record-breaking attendance was no doubt
    fueled by the Centennial celebration, and was slightly lower in 2017,
    it is clearly a reflection of the importance that these special places
    have in the mind of the American public. Effectively managing these
    demands is proving more and more challenging with funding that has not
    kept up with the Park Service's costs.
        While operational needs are absolutely essential, NPS continues to
    have a large land acquisition backlog. At the end of 2016, an estimated
    $2.1 billion was identified as necessary to purchase privately owned
    lands within current park boundaries that have been identified in land
    protection plans. These properties represent the minimum interest
    necessary to protect resource values within the park. Unfortunately,
    this administration has adopted a freeze-the-footprint goal, which
    blocks acquisition of key parcels and leaves them vulnerable to
    incompatible development. And this policy remains in place even though
    $900 million a year is being placed in the Land and Water Conservation
    Fund (LWCF) solely for land acquisition purposes and at a time Congress
    has just permanently reauthorized LWCF.
        In a similar manner, a number of historic structures across the
    country are in danger of being lost because of inadequate
    appropriations from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). As required
    by law, $150 million a year goes into this fund; but appropriations
    have not kept pace with the need.
        Likewise, the NPS relies on partnerships with a number of groups
    and organizations, including educational institutions, to carry out
    cooperative agreements, technical assistance, and grant programs.
    Unfortunately, grant programs are constantly targeted for reductions or
    elimination during the annual budget request process, which contributes
    to uncertainty among many long-standing partners.
        While the modest increase in appropriations for construction in the
    fiscal year 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act will put a dent in the
    deferred maintenance backlog, funding remains inadequate to reduce the
    backlog in a meaningful way. With a backlog of $11.6 billion, more
    needs to be done. Half of this backlog is the result of thousands of
    miles of roads, bridges, and other supporting structures that are in
    dire need of repair. The highly publicized needs at the Arlington
    Memorial Bridge are just one example of this backlog.
        And it is this large group of assets, with many being decades old,
    which has contributed to the rising maintenance backlog. With more
    visitors coming to the parks, this only puts additional stress on the
    structures found in the parks.
        Unfortunately, the backlog of facility restoration and maintenance
    needs continues to grow in the absence of adequate funding. And we know
    that repairing park buildings and other assets will mean nothing if
    annual funding is not adequate to maintain them. We also know that over
    the last several years, funds dedicated to recurring maintenance needs
    have not kept up, resulting in further backsliding in addressing the
    backlog. There are projects ready to go all across the country.
    Completing these projects with an infusion of funding could make an
    immediate and tangible difference in the parks.
        The National Park Service had previously estimated in its fiscal
    year 2017 budget that $400 million a year was needed to restore and
    maintain in good condition all of its highest-priority non-
    transportation assets within 10 years. Because it is unlikely that
    annual appropriations will increase by this much, the National Park
    Service needs a dedicated source of funding to address the backlog.
    Similar to the structure of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and
    the Historic Preservation Fund, the Coalition believes a dedicated
    source of revenue for a maintenance backlog fund is required, such as
    that being proposed in the Restore Our Parks Act. There will be no
    reduction in the backlog if such a revenue stream is unreliable from
    year to year. And this revenue must be in addition to current annual
    appropriations and not supplant annual funding.
        Finally, the Coalition remains very concerned about the proposed
    reorganization of the Department of the Interior initiated by former
    Secretary Zinke. We are told that the new Secretary Bernhardt will
    continue to pursue this very costly scheme despite presenting no
    reasonable rationale why such a reorganization is needed. In our view,
    it is unfortunate that the recently enacted appropriations bill
    provided some initial funding requested for the reorganization.
        We are reassured, however, that you have prohibited the department
    and its bureaus from implementing any part of a reorganization that
    modifies regional boundaries currently in effect until you have
    received a reprogramming request that details the anticipated
    efficiencies and cost-savings, a description of anticipated personnel
    impacts, and funding changes anticipated to implement the proposal. The
    Coalition is convinced the administration has not presented any good
    rationale for pursuing such a reorganization for the National Park
    Service and we urge you to continue to oppose any reprogramming request
    for this purpose as a waste of money that can be better used to support
    the numerous needs of the Park Service outlined above.
        We recognize the challenges the subcommittee confronts in providing
    appropriations for all of the programs under its jurisdiction. We are
    committed to working with you in helping to ensure sufficient resources
    are available for our national parks to fulfill the mandate enacted by
    Congress to protect the resources of the parks unimpaired for future
    generations, while also making them available for the public to enjoy.
        That concludes my statement. I would be glad to respond to any
    questions you might have.

        [This statement was submitted by Philip A. Francis, Jr.]
                                     ______

          Prepared Statement of the Colorado Forest and Water Alliance

    Members: Colorado Water Congress, Colorado Timber Industry, The Nature
         Conservancy, Club 20, and Watershed Health Investment Partners

    Senator Lisa Murkowski, Chair
    Senator Tom Udall, Ranking Member
    U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior,
      Environment and Related Agencies
    131 Dirksen Senate Office Building
    Washington, D.C. 20515

    Dear Senator Murkowski and Senator Udall:

        As you consider the fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment, and
    Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we write to urge you to provide
    full funding in line with the 2018 Farm Bill for the Collaborative
    Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP). As communities across the
    country struggle with the impact of severe fire seasons, now is the
    time to expand this vital forest program.
        Since its enactment in 2009, CFLRP has had a proven track record of
    success in bringing collaboration to our forests to increase forest
    health, mitigate wildfires, and support rural economies and local
    voices. CFLRP requires various local stakeholders to collaborate,
    resulting in stronger relationships on the ground, better projects, and
    a decreased risk of conflict and litigation.
        To date, 23 CFLRP projects in 14 States have sold more than 2.5
    billion board feet of timber; created $1.4 billion in local labor
    income; and improved 760 miles of trails for sports enthusiasts and
    recreation. On average, CFLRP creates or maintains 5,400 jobs each year
    at current funding levels--a number that would likely increase if
    funding is expanded. In addition, CFLRP has reduced the risk of
    megafires on more than 2.9 million acres.
        Because of this bipartisan program's successful track record, the
    2018 Farm Bill (Public Law 115-334) doubled the size of its funding
    authorization. There is interest across the country in establishing new
    collaborative projects as well as sustaining current projects. As the
    national conservation on forest management continues, it is imperative
    that we invest in programs that reduce conflict in our forests and
    increase the number of logs sent to mills.
        As you draft the Fiscal Year 2020 Interior, Environment, and
    Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we respectfully request that you
    fully fund CLFRP. Thank you for considering this request.

    Respectfully,

    Travis Smith for                     Molly Pitts for
    Colorado Water Congress              Colorado Timber Industry
                                          Association

    Aaron Citron for                     Cindy Dozier for
    The Nature Conservancy               Club 20

    Mark Shea for
    Watershed Health Investment
     Partners

    cc:  Senator Cory Gardner
     Senator Michael Bennet
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum

    TO:                            The Honorable Lisa Murkowski, Chairwoman
                                   The Honorable Tom Udall, Ranking Member
                                   Senate Committee on Appropriations
                                   Subcommittee on Interior, Environment,
                                    and Related Agencies

    SUBJECT:                       Continued Funding for the Colorado River
                                    Basin Salinity Control Program under
                                    BLM's Aquatic Habitat Management Sub-
                                    Activity (formerly known as the Soil,
                                    Water and Air Program)

    FROM:                          Don A. Barnett, Executive Directory
                                   Colorado River Basin Salinity Control
                                    Forum

    DATE:                          May 10, 2019
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Waters from the Colorado River are used by nearly 40 million people
    for municipal and industrial purposes and used to irrigate
    approximately 5.5 million acres in the United States. Natural and man-
    induced salt loading to the Colorado River creates environmental and
    economic damages. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has
    estimated the current quantifiable damages at about $454 million per
    year. Congress authorized the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control
    Program (Program) in 1974 to offset increased damages caused by
    continued development and use of the waters of the Colorado River.
    Modeling by Reclamation indicates that the quantifiable damages would
    rise to approximately $574 million by the year 2035 without
    continuation of the Program. Congress has directed the Secretary of the
    Interior to implement a comprehensive program for minimizing salt
    contributions to the Colorado River from lands administered by the
    Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In the past BLM has funded these
    efforts through its Soil, Water and Air Program and now they will be
    funded under the new Aquatic Habitat Management sub-activity. BLM's
    efforts are an essential part of the overall effort. A funding level of
    $2.0 million for salinity specific projects in 2020 is requested to
    prevent further degradation of the quality of the Colorado River with a
    commensurate increase in downstream economic damages.
        EPA has identified that more than 60 percent of the salt load of
    the Colorado River comes from natural sources. The majority of land
    within the Colorado River Basin is federally owned, much of which is
    administered by BLM. In implementing the Colorado River Basin Salinity
    Control Act in 1974, Congress recognized that most of the salts in the
    Colorado River originate from federally owned lands. Title I of the
    Salinity Control Act deals with the U.S. commitment to the quality of
    waters being delivered to Mexico. Title II of the Act deals with
    improving the quality of the water delivered to users in the United
    States. This testimony deals specifically with Title II efforts. In
    1984, Congress amended the Salinity Control Act and directed that the
    Secretary of the Interior develop a comprehensive program for
    minimizing salt contributions to the Colorado River from lands
    administered by BLM. In 2000, Congress reiterated its directive to the
    Secretary and requested a report on the implementation of BLM's program
    (Public Law 106-459). In 2003, BLM employed a Salinity Coordinator to
    increase BLM efforts in the Colorado River Basin and to pursue salinity
    control studies and to implement specific salinity control practices.
    BLM is now working on creating a comprehensive Colorado River Basin
    salinity control program as directed by Congress. In January 2018 BLM
    issued A Framework for Improving the Effectiveness of the Colorado
    River Basin Salinity Control Program, 2018-2023. This document lays out
    how BLM intends to implement Colorado River Basin salinity control
    activities over the next 5 years. Meaningful resources have been
    expended by BLM in the past few years to better understand salt
    mobilization on rangelands. With a significant portion of the salt load
    of the Colorado River coming from BLM administered lands, the BLM
    portion of the overall program is essential to the success of the
    effort. Inadequate BLM salinity control efforts will result in
    significant additional economic damages to water users downstream.
        Concentration of salt in the Colorado River causes approximately
    $454 million in quantified damages and significantly more in
    unquantified damages in the United States and results in poor water
    quality for United States users. Damages occur from:

      --a reduction in the ability to reclaim and reuse water due to high
            salinities in the water delivered to water treatment and
            reclamation facilities,
      --a reduction in the yield of salt sensitive crops and increased
            water use to meet the leaching requirements in the agricultural
            sector,
      --increased use of imported water and cost of desalination and brine
            disposal for recycling water in the municipal sector,
      --a reduction in the useful life of galvanized water pipe systems,
            water heaters, faucets, garbage disposals, clothes washers and
            dishwashers, and increased use of bottled water and water
            softeners in the household sector,
      --an increase in the cost of cooling operations and the cost of water
            softening, and a decrease in equipment service life in the
            commercial sector,
      --an increase in the use of water and the cost of water treatment,
            and an increase in sewer fees in the industrial sector,
      --a decrease in the life of treatment facilities and pipelines in the
            utility sector, and
      --difficulty in meeting wastewater discharge requirements to comply
            with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit
            terms and conditions, and an increase in desalination and brine
            disposal costs due to accumulation of salts in groundwater
            basins.

        The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum (Forum) is composed
    of gubernatorial appointees from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada,
    New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The Forum is charged with reviewing the
    Colorado River's water quality standards for salinity every 3 years. In
    so doing, it adopts a Plan of Implementation consistent with these
    standards. The level of appropriation requested in this testimony is in
    keeping with the adopted Plan of Implementation. If adequate funds are
    not appropriated, significant damages from the higher salinity
    concentrations in the water will be more widespread in the United
    States and Mexico.
        In summary, implementation of salinity control practices through
    BLM is a cost effective method of controlling the salinity of the
    Colorado River and is an essential component to the overall Colorado
    River Basin Salinity Control Program. Continuation of adequate funding
    levels for salinity within the Aquatic Habitat Management sub-activity
    (formerly the Soil, Water and Air Program) will assist in preventing
    the water quality of the Colorado River from further degradation with a
    commensurate significant increase in economic damages to municipal,
    industrial and irrigation users. A modest investment in source control
    pays huge dividends in improved drinking water quality to nearly 40
    million Americans.
                                     ______

          Prepared Statement of the Colorado River Board of California

    TO:                            The Honorable Lisa Murkowski, Chairwoman
                                   The Honorable Tom Udall, Ranking Member
                                   Senate Committee on Appropriations
                                   Subcommittee on Interior, Environment,
                                    and Related Agencies

    SUBJECT:                       Continued Funding for the Colorado River
                                    Basin Salinity Control Program under
                                    BLM's Aquatic Habitat Management Sub-
                                    Activity (formerly known as the Soil,
                                    Water and Air Program)

    FROM:                          Christopher S. Harris, Executive
                                    Directory
                                   Colorado River Board of California

    DATE:                          May 9, 2019
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

        This testimony is in support of fiscal year 2020 funding for the
    Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) associated
    with those activities that assist in the implementation of Title II of
    the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-
    320), as amended. This long-standing successful and cost-effective
    salinity control program in the Colorado River Basin is being carried
    out pursuant to the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act and the
    Clean Water Act (Public Law 92-500). Congress has directed the
    Secretary of the Interior to implement a comprehensive program for
    minimizing salt contributions to the Colorado River from lands
    administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). BLM funds these
    efforts through its Soil, Water and Air Program and now they will be
    funded under the new Aquatic Habitat Management Sub-Activity. BLM's
    efforts are an essential part of the overall effort. A funding level of
    at least $2.0 million for salinity specific projects in 2020 is
    requested to prevent further degradation of the quality of Colorado
    River water supplies and increased economic damages.
        The Colorado River Board of California (Colorado River Board) is
    the State agency charged with protecting California's interests and
    rights in the water and power resources of the Colorado River system.
    In this capacity, California participates along with the other six
    Colorado River Basin States through the Colorado River Basin Salinity
    Control Forum (Forum), the interstate organization responsible for
    coordinating the Basin States' salinity control efforts. In close
    cooperation with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
    pursuant to requirements of the Clean Water Act, the Forum is charged
    with reviewing the Colorado River water quality standards every 3
    years. Every 3 years the Forum adopts a Plan of Implementation
    consistent with these water quality standards. The level of
    appropriation being supported in this testimony is consistent with the
    Forum's 2017 Plan of Implementation. The Forum's 2017 Plan of
    Implementation can be found on this website: http://
    coloradoriversalinity.org/docs/2017%20Review%20-%20FINAL.pdf. If
    adequate funds are not appropriated, significant damages associated
    with increasing salinity concentrations of Colorado River water will
    become more widespread in the United States and Mexican portions of the
    Colorado River Basin.
        The EPA has determined that more than 60 percent of the salt load
    of the Colorado River comes from natural sources. The majority of land
    within the Colorado River Basin is federally owned, much of which is
    administered by BLM. Through passage of the Colorado River Basin
    Salinity Control Act in 1974, Congress recognized that much of the
    salts in the Colorado River originate on federally-owned lands. Title I
    of the Salinity Control Act deals with the U.S. commitment to efforts
    related to maintaining the quality of waters being delivered to Mexico
    pursuant to the 1944 Water Treaty. Title II of the Act deals with
    improving the quality of the water delivered to U.S. users. In 1984,
    Congress amended the Salinity Control Act and directed that the
    Secretary of the Interior develop a comprehensive program for
    minimizing salt contributions to the Colorado River from lands
    administered by BLM. In 2000, Congress reiterated its directive to the
    Secretary and requested a report on the implementation of BLM's program
    (Public Law 106-459). In 2003, BLM employed a Salinity Coordinator to
    coordinate BLM efforts in the Colorado River Basin States to pursue
    salinity control studies and to implement specific salinity control
    practices. BLM is now working on creating a comprehensive Colorado
    River Basin salinity control program as directed by Congress. In
    January 2018 BLM issued A Framework for Improving the Effectiveness of
    the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program, 2018-2023. This
    document lays out how BLM intends to implement Colorado River Basin
    salinity control activities over the next 5 years. Meaningful resources
    have been expended by BLM in the past few years to better understand
    salt mobilization on rangelands. With a significant portion of the salt
    load of the Colorado River coming from BLM-administered lands, the BLM
    portion of the overall program is essential to the success of the
    entire effort. Inadequate BLM salinity control efforts will result in
    significant additional economic damages to water users downstream.
        It has been more than 44 years since the passage of the Colorado
    River Basin Salinity Control Act, and much has been learned about the
    impact of salts in the Colorado River system. Currently, the salinity
    concentration of Colorado River water causes about $450 million in
    quantifiable economic damages in the United States annually. Economic
    and hydrologic modeling by Reclamation indicates that these economic
    damages could rise to nearly $600 million by the year 2035 without
    continued implementation of the Program. For example, damages can be
    incurred related to the following activities:

      --A reduction in the ability to re-claim and reuse water due to high
            salinities in the water delivered to water treatment and
            reclamation facilities;
      --A reduction in the yield of salt-sensitive crops and increased
            water use to meet the leaching requirements in the agricultural
            sector;
      --Increases in the volumes of imported water required;
      --Increased costs of desalination and brine disposal for recycled
            water in the municipal and industrial sectors;
      --A reduction in the useful life of galvanized water pipe systems,
            water heaters, faucets, and other household appliances, and
            increased use of bottled water and water softeners in the
            municipal and industrial sectors;
      --Increased costs of cooling operations and the cost of water
            softening, and a decrease in equipment service life in the
            commercial sectors;
      --Increases in the use of water and cost of water treatment, and an
            increase in sewer fees in the industrial sector;
      --Decreased life of treatment facilities and pipelines in the utility
            sectors;
      --Increasing difficulty in meeting wastewater discharge requirements
            to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
            permit terms and conditions; and
      --Increased desalination and brine disposal costs due to accumulation
            of salts in groundwater basins.

        The Colorado River is, and will continue to be, a major and vital
    water resource to the nearly 20 million residents of southern
    California, including municipal, industrial, and agricultural water
    users in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San
    Diego, and Ventura Counties. The protection and improvement of Colorado
    River water quality through the continuation and expansion of an
    effective salinity control program will avoid, or reduce, additional
    economic damages to water users in California and the other States that
    rely on Colorado River water resources.
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the Congressional Fire Services Institute,
    International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Association of State
                 Foresters, and National Volunteer Fire Council

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski                The Honorable Tom Udall
    Chairwoman                                  Ranking Member
    Appropriations Subcommittee on              Appropriations Subcommittee
      Interior, Environment and Related          on
     Agencies                                     Interior, Environment and
    U.S. Senate                                  Related Agencies
    Washington, D.C. 20510                      U.S. Senate
                                                Washington, D.C. 20510

    Dear Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        The undersigned organizations are writing to express our strong
    support for maintaining effective funding levels in the fiscal year
    2020 appropriations process for essential wildfire risk reduction and
    protection programs within the USDA Forest Service's (USFS) State and
    Private Forestry (S&PF) program area. The important work accomplished
    through the State Fire Assistance (SFA) and Volunteer Fire Assistance
    (VFA) programs \1\ help decrease total Federal emergency wildland fire
    suppression costs and reduce the threat of fire to people, communities,
    and both public and private lands.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ The President's Budget proposed renaming these programs
    National Fire Capacity and Rural Fire Capacity respectively.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        America's forests and forest-dependent communities are at risk from
    outbreaks of pests and pathogens, persistent drought, and the buildup
    of hazardous fuels. Urbanization and development patterns are placing
    more homes and communities near fire-prone landscapes, leading to more
    destructive and costly wildland fires, like those that burned more than
    8 million acres in 2018 alone.
        We thank you for your leadership in developing and securing a long-
    term wildland fire funding solution which will ensure that the USFS has
    the funding needed for both routine activities to local and State
    wildland fire preparedness and mitigation efforts as well as engage in
    emergency wildland fire suppression activities. This long-held goal of
    our organizations would not have been realized without your leadership
    and the work of this Committee. Additionally, our organizations thank
    you for providing additional funding to support the USFS wildland fire
    suppression and prevention accounts as well as increased funding for
    hazardous fuels mitigation on Federal lands and cross boundary areas
    for fiscal year 2019 appropriations.
        The fiscal year 2020 appropriations bill can provide for both
    necessary wildland fire suppression and fire risk reduction activities
    that reduce firefighting costs in the long run. We appreciate this
    Committee's continued support for the SFA and VFA programs and
    encourage you to continue providing strong funding for these important
    programs.
        SFA is the fundamental Federal mechanism for assisting States and
    local fire departments in responding to wildland fires and in
    conducting management activities that mitigate fire risk on non-Federal
    lands. The program helps train State and local first responders who are
    often first to arrive at a wildland fire incident, as well as equip
    them with the tools they need to put wildland fires out efficiently and
    safely.
        For example, in fiscal year 2018 SFA provided over $28 million in
    funding for hazardous fuels treatments, benefiting 1,065 communities in
    the wildland-urban interface (WUI). This funding led directly to the
    treatment of 49,400 acres of hazardous fuels, with another 184,808
    acres treated with leveraged funding from partners. Additionally,
    roughly $3.7 million in assistance was provided to conduct 3,882 risk
    assessments and complete fire management planning projects, supporting
    2,873 communities. In fiscal year 2018, SFA funding assisted 12,829
    communities through a variety of different activities, including
    funding for the training of 97,210 firefighters.
        The localized support provided by SFA is crucial because most
    wildland fires (80 percent during 2017) burn within State and local
    fire department jurisdictions. Even when it comes to wildland fires on
    Federal lands, SFA-supported crews and apparatus are often the first to
    respond.
        Our organizations are grateful for the Committee's decision to
    increase SFA funding to $81 million in fiscal year 2019. However,
    additional modest increases in SFA funding will help expand wildland
    fire preparedness and mitigation capacity for State forestry agencies.
    Attacking fires when they are small is the key to reducing fatalities,
    injuries, loss of homes and cutting Federal firefighting costs. The
    need for increased funding for fire suppression on Federal lands has
    broad support. The need to increase fire suppression funding for State
    and private lands, where roughly 80 percent of wildland fires occur,
    and where many fires that impact Federal lands begin, is just as
    urgent. In fiscal year 2020, we urge you to provide $87 million for the
    State Fire Assistance program.
        The VFA program provides support to rural communities and is
    critical to ensuring adequate capacity to respond to wildland fires,
    reducing the risk to communities, people, homes and property, and
    firefighters. This capacity is critical because these State and local
    resources are the first responders to more than 80 percent of wildland
    fires--whether on State, Federal or private lands. According to the
    USFS, during fiscal year 2018, the VFA program helped provide
    assistance to 13,959 communities, train 21,868 firefighters, expanded
    or organize 48 fire departments, and purchase, rehabilitate, or
    maintain nearly $11 million in equipment. Our organizations greatly
    appreciate the Committee's work to increase VFA funding to $17 million
    in fiscal year 2019. In fiscal year 2020, we urge you to provide no
    less than $18 million for the Volunteer Fire Assistance Program.
        We appreciate the difficult task the Committee faces in the current
    budget climate. It is important to remember, however, that these vital
    programs safeguard human life, habitat, and property, and reduce the
    overall cost of wildland fire management. Accordingly, we urge you to
    support funding for these critical programs.
        Thank you for your consideration of this important request.
                                     ______

                  Prepared Statement of The Conservation Fund
        Chairman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related
    Agencies, thank you for this opportunity to submit outside witness
    testimony on behalf of The Conservation Fund (TCF). TCF supports a
    funding request of $600 million in fiscal year 2020 for the Land and
    Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which includes the Federal land
    acquisition programs of the Bureau of Land Management ($45 million),
    National Park Service ($75 million), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
    ($85 million), U.S. Forest Service ($100 million), as well as three
    State grant programs: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Cooperative
    Endangered Species Conservation Fund ($35 million); National Park
    Service's State Assistance Grants program ($130 million); and the U.S.
    Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program ($100 million). TCF also
    supports a funding request for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's
    North American Wetlands Conservation Fund ($45 million); U.S. Fish and
    Wildlife Service's State and Tribal Wildlife Grant Programs ($90
    million); National Park Service's Chesapeake Bay Gateways and
    Watertrails Program ($3 million); the U.S. Forest Service's Community
    Forest and Open Space Conservation Program ($10 million); and the
    Department of Interior's (DOI) Natural Resource Damage Assessment and
    Restoration Program ($10 million). TCF requests funding for the
    Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Great Lakes Restoration
    Initiative ($300 million) and Chesapeake Bay Program ($80 million).
        At The Conservation Fund, we make conservation work for America. We
    are a nonprofit environmental organization, working to create
    conservation solutions that make economic sense. Top-ranked for
    efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 States since
    1985 to protect over 8 million acres of land. We applaud the leadership
    of this subcommittee over many years to appropriate funds to acquire
    lands for future generations, working forests, recreational
    opportunities, wildlife habitat, and many other benefits.
        As the subcommittee crafts its Interior, Environment and Related
    Agencies Appropriations bill, there are several key programmatic
    funding recommendations we respectfully request you to consider, listed
    below.

        1.  Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $600 million.--LWCF
    represents a promise to the Nation that proceeds from offshore oil and
    gas development will help protect the public trust. The requested $600
    million for LWCF in fiscal year 2020 will foster that mission, with the
    goal of soon securing the authorized funding level of $900 million per
    year.

                Funding at $600 million in fiscal year 2020 is critical for
            the Nation's premier conservation program, a bipartisan
            agreement nearly 55 years ago. The Conservation Fund applauds
            Congress for passing bipartisan, bicameral legislation that
            permanently reauthorizes LWCF, which was signed into law by the
            president on March 12, 2019. TCF also urges Congress to work in
            a similar fashion to provide full, mandatory funding (at $900
            million) for the land conservation program.

                Since 1964, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has
            protected some of America's most important natural and
            historical treasures. From national parks, fish and wildlife
            refuges, to working farms and ranches, and State and local
            parks, LWCF continues to yield tremendous land protection
            outcomes in communities nationwide. LWCF's land acquisition
            programs provide critical resources needed to safeguard vital
            lands from potential development, expand public access, and
            protect wildlife habitat. LWCF projects are driven by private
            landowners seeking to work with Federal land units and state
            partners to sell their property for conservation purposes.

        A.  Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land Acquisition at $45
    million.--The BLM and its National Conservation Lands provide some of
    our Nation's best recreation and historic areas. TCF partners with BLM
    on projects ranging from expanding sportsmen's access to Blue Ribbon
    fishing on the North Platte River in Wyoming to recreational access to
    the Upper Snake/South Fork ACEC SRMA in Idaho. In fiscal year 2020, we
    request $45 million to fund BLM's land acquisition program and
    projects.

        B.  National Park Service (NPS) Federal Land Acquisition at $75
    million.--Hosting more than 330 million visitors every year, the 419
    National Park units provide an economic boost to their local
    communities and those employed directly and indirectly. Funding for NPS
    LWCF will help protect key access points for recreation, historic
    areas, trails and more, including at Little River Canyon National
    Preserve in Alabama and the Chesapeake Bay's Captain John Smith
    Chesapeake National Historic Trail. We respectfully request $75 million
    to fund NPS's land acquisition program and projects.

        C.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Land Acquisition at $85
    million.--National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) are our Nation's protectors
    of clean water, clean air, abundant wildlife and world-class
    recreation. Funding for fiscal year 2020 FWS LWCF will help protect
    critical wildlife habitat, provide public access and recreation, and
    improve water quality at Refuges, including Texas' Laguna Atascosa
    National Wildlife Refuge; as well as preserving our Nation's working
    lands, such as at Montana's Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area. We
    respectfully request $85 million to fund FWS's land acquisition program
    and projects.

        D.  U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Land Acquisition at $100 million.--
    USFS LWCF funds help with forest management by protecting key
    inholdings and reducing fire threats. From Minnesota's Superior
    National Forest-Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness to the Appalachian
    Mountain's Cherokee (TN), Pisgah (NC), George Washington-Jefferson
    (VA), and Chattahoochee (GA) National Forests, we are working with
    willing landowners at priority project areas and respectfully request
    $100 million to fund USFS's land acquisition program and projects.

        E.  LWCF State Grant Programs: FWS-Cooperative Endangered Species
    Fund, NPS-State Conservation Grants, and USFS-Forest Legacy.--We
    encourage the subcommittee to fund:

         -- FWS.--Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: $35
            million (for the LWCF-funded portion)
         -- NPS.--State Assistance Grants program: $130 million
         -- USFS.--Forest Legacy Program: $100 million

        2.  DOI and USFS Conservation and Land Acquisition Programs.--TCF
    encourages the Committee to fund:

         -- FWS.--North American Wetlands Conservation Fund at $45 million
         -- FWS.--State and Tribal Wildlife Grant Programs at $90 million
         -- NPS.--Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Program at $3
            million
         -- USFS.--Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program at
            $10 million

        3.  Department of Interior--Natural Resource Damage Assessment and
    Restoration Program at $10 million.--The Restoration Program leads the
    national response for recovery of natural resources that have been
    injured or destroyed because of oil spills or releases of other
    hazardous substances. Recoveries from responsible parties can only be
    spent to implement restoration plans developed by the Trustee Council
    for each incident. These funds are one hundred percent private and
    represent the amount needed to restore environmental resources or
    compensate for lost public use since the damage in question. The fiscal
    year 2020 funds would allow the Program to add carefully targeted staff
    allocated to Interior bureaus and offices through its Restoration
    Support Unit to accelerate restoration activities.

        4.  Environmental Protection Agency Programs.--TCF encourages the
    Committee to fund:

         -- Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GRLI) at $300 million.--TCF
            urges funding of GLRI at $300 million. The Initiative provides
            critical support for on-the-ground restoration and conservation
            programs and projects targeted at the most significant
            environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem.
         -- Chesapeake Bay Program at $80 million.--TCF urges funding of
            the Chesapeake Bay program at $80 million. This program brings
            together a diverse partnership to support the Bay's
            restoration.

        The Conservation Fund stands ready to work with you to secure full
    and consistent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, North
    American Wetlands Conservation Act, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative,
    and the other critically important programs that help protect the
    environment, economies, forests, and community values across our
    Nation. Thank you for the opportunity to provide this testimony and
    your consideration of our request.

        [This statement was submitted by Kelly Reed, Vice President of
    Government Relations.]
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement
        Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee:

        The National Wildlife Refuge System stands alone as the only
    Federal land and water conservation system with a mission that
    prioritizes wildlife and habitat conservation alongside wildlife-
    dependent recreation. Since 1995, the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge
    Enhancement (CARE) has worked to showcase the value of the Refuge
    System and to secure a strong congressional commitment for conserving
    these special landscapes.
        Found in every U.S. State and Territory, national wildlife refuges
    conserve a diversity of America's environmentally sensitive and
    recreationally vital ecosystems, including wetlands, coasts, forests,
    prairie, tundra, deserts, and oceans, and provide Americans with an
    opportunity to encounter and engage with these areas.
        We ask that the Committee provide a funding level of $586 million
    for the Operations and Maintenance accounts of the National Wildlife
    Refuge System for fiscal year 2020.
        This testimony is submitted on behalf of CARE's 23 member
    organizations, which represent over 16 million American hunters,
    anglers, bird and wildlife watchers, scientists, managers, and
    concerned citizens passionate about wildlife conservation and related
    recreational opportunities.

    American Birding Association
    American Fisheries Society
    American Sportfishing Association
    Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Congressional Sportsmen's
    Foundation
    Defenders of Wildlife
    Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
    Izaak Walton League of America
    Marine Conservation Institute
    National Audubon Society
    National Rifle Association
    National Wildlife Federation
    National Wildlife Refuge Association
    Safari Club International
    The Corps Network
    The Nature Conservancy
    The Wilderness Society
    The Wildlife Society
    Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
    Trout Unlimited
    U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance
    Wildlife Forever
    Wildlife Management Institute
               inadequate funding-challenges to the refuge system
        The Refuge System budget, at $487.7 million, is now $96.6 million
    below the level needed to keep pace with inflation and fixed costs
    ($584.3 million), relative to the fiscal year 2010 budget of $503.2
    million. At least $8-10 million appropriations increase is required
    each year just to keep pace with inflation and fixed costs, and these
    budgets are going in the wrong direction.
        Workforce has declined since the high staffing point in 2011 by 645
    positions through attrition. Those employees provided services such as
    administration, maintenance, fire management, wildlife management, and
    research support. That is a loss of nearly 1 out of 7 refuge positions.
    As a result, refuge staff struggle to maintain habitat, while also
    providing adequate visitor services, environmental education, and
    access for hunting, fishing, and other recreation. No refuges today are
    fully staffed, and in fact, nearly half of refuge units (282) are
    completely unstaffed.
        An additional problem with lack of funding is the System's
    inability to provide for ongoing maintenance costs, which only compound
    and become more expensive with time. At Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee
    NWR in Florida, the invasive species issues are overwhelming the
    refuge. In the last 12-15 years, Loxahatchee has struggled with
    invasive Lygodium, with initial costs of $2 million a year to restrict
    uncontrolled spread. Now, the refuge needs roughly $5 million a year
    for 5 years in order to control this weed, with costs having doubled or
    tripled.
        Unfortunately, inadequate funding threatens the System's ability to
    carry out its mission, which is mandated by the National Wildlife
    Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997. For example, in Region 3, which
    includes the Great Lakes States, there are 296 current positions, down
    from their height of 346 staff in fiscal year 2010. Based on optimal
    staffing models, the region is 100 staff short. This shortage of staff
    has caused problems across the region: visitor centers prioritize hours
    for peak visitation and are closed many days. There is no ability to do
    restoration work on lands they have or have acquired. There are fewer
    Federal wildlife officers. Maintenance of public use facilities such as
    parking lots and bathrooms has dwindled, particularly on Wildlife
    Management Areas, and approximately 20 percent fewer are mowed. At the
    Prairie Wetlands Learning Center in Fergus Falls, MN, the director
    position has been vacant for 2 years, and the city is questioning the
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's commitment to the center. The loss of
    managed hunts, such as youth hunting programs and hunts for the
    disabled, has been dire. Many such hunts have not been held for years.
        This dire funding situation can be seen across the other seven
    regions.
        Between fiscal year 2010 and fiscal year 2013, Refuge System
    funding was reduced by $50 million--a 10 percent cut. Even with
    increased budgets in fiscal year 2019 to $487.7 million, the Refuge
    System continues to function at unsustainable levels. CARE estimates
    that the Refuge System needs at least $900 million in annual operations
    and maintenance funding to meet conservation targets, including
    wildlife management, habitat restoration, and opportunities for public
    recreation.
        Inadequate numbers of Federal wildlife officers (by some measures,
    the number of FWOs should be three to four times higher than current
    numbers) imperil healthy habitat and the safe and enjoyable visitor
    experience. The 'lucky' refuges still have one or two employees per
    refuge or refuge complex doing work such as environmental education,
    biology, or maintenance work. Yet many other refuges sit for years with
    unfilled, critical positions.
        In Region 6, which stretches from Colorado to the Prairie Pothole
    Region, retention of staff is a major problem. Biologists are in short
    supply, and regional headquarters staff struggle to get biologists out
    to each refuge at even a fraction of the needed time. In 2014, they had
    63 full time farm maintenance staff, now only 49--a 25 percent
    reduction. They currently have ten refuge law enforcement positions
    open, and cannot fill them because of the combination of low pay and
    benefits with the very rural locations. At the same time, they're
    looking to increase usage on refuges, such as hunting and fishing. Elk
    National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming is 24,700 acres, and one FWO is
    stationed there--and he shares time at BLM lands as well.
        Without significant increases in funding, there is simply no room
    left to trim positions and still maintain at least a portion of those
    services--they will simply disappear, and school programs or ongoing
    maintenance will end. And refuges will continue to close.
            national wildlife refuge system: statistics and visitors
        The National Wildlife Refuge System, established by President
    Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, protects approximately 840 million land and
    marine acres on 567 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management
    districts in every State and territory in the U.S., and 5 marine
    monuments in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. These acres are part of
    the Refuge System and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managed (with some
    marine acres co-managed with NOAA). From the Virgin Islands to Guam to
    Alaska to Maine, the Refuge System spans 12 time zones and protects
    America's natural heritage in habitats ranging from arctic tundra to
    arid desert, boreal forest to sagebrush grassland, and prairie wetlands
    to coral reefs.
        A refuge is within an hour's drive from most metropolitan areas,
    enabling the Refuge System to attract a growing number of visitors each
    year (55.8 million in fiscal year 2018, up from 46.5 million in fiscal
    year 2013) and provide opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife
    observation, photography, kayaking, hiking, and outdoor education.
    Americans are visiting refuges in increasing number for the wild beauty
    and recreational opportunities they provide.
        CARE welcomes recreational use of our Nation's refuges. The ``Big
    6'' uses of the Refuge System--hunting, fishing, wildlife watching,
    photography, environmental education, and interpretation--were
    enshrined into law in the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge System
    Improvement Act. Refuge visitors generate $2.4 billion annually to
    local and regional economies--on average returning $4.87 in economic
    activity for every $1 appropriated--and support 35,000 U.S. jobs.\1\ In
    addition, refuges provide major environmental and health benefits, such
    as filtering storm water before it is carried downstream and fills
    municipal aquifers; reducing flooding by capturing excess rainwater;
    and minimizing the damage to coastal communities from storm surges.
    Refuges generate more than $32.3 billion in these ecosystem services
    each year, a return of over $65 for every $1 appropriated by
    Congress.\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Banking on Nature, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, October
    2013, http://www.fws.gov/refuges/about/refugereports/pdfs/
    BankingOnNature2013.pdf
        \2\ The Economics Associated with Outdoor Recreation, Natural
    Resources Conservation, and Historic Preservation in the United States,
    Southwick Associates, October 2011, https://www.fws.gov/refuges/news/
    pdfs/TheEconomicValueofOutdoorRecreation[1].pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 care requests $586 million in fiscal year 2020
        We acknowledge that this request would mean a dramatic $98 million
    increase. However, with the effective $96 million decrease in funding
    since fiscal year 2010, the Refuge System has lost a great deal of
    conservation work and public use opportunities, all at a time when
    visitor numbers are increasing. If annual operations and maintenance
    funding does not rise substantially, CARE anticipates further impacts
    both within and outside of refuge boundaries, including:

      --Loss of refuge law enforcement to the point where visitors and
            wildlife are not protected--the System is currently functioning
            with 22 percent of the FWOs needed. Six States currently have
            zero FWOs, and another 10 only have one.
      --Further closures of visitor centers, elimination of environmental
            education programs that currently work closely with local
            schools, and a loss of visitor services staff, which would
            leave many States with no visitor services staff at all, such
            as Maine.
      --Reduced quality of habitat for hunting. Over the past 2 years, the
            Department of the Interior has worked to add and expand hunt
            programs at refuges, providing additional opportunities for
            outdoor recreationists as part of the ``Big 6''. These hunt
            expansions will require corresponding funding to keep up with
            the demand on Federal wildlife officers and on biologists and
            other staff responsible for keeping wildlife habitat and
            populations healthy.
      --Reduced treatment of invasive plants, reducing habitat quality for
            wildlife (both game and non-game) and placing nearby private
            lands at higher risk of infestations.
      --Decreased use of prescribed fire, which is used on refuges both to
            improve habitat for wildlife and to reduce hazardous fuels that
            pose a wildfire risk to nearby communities. This risk has been
            mitigated by the fire fix passed by the Congress this spring,
            but resources for prescribed fire still need to be in place on
            individual refuges.

        The common denominator to all these challenges is a lack of
    funding. Adequate staffing and funding are critical to the maintenance
    of healthy wildlife populations and access for recreational users to a
    healthy ecosystem. Increasing funding for the System will empower and
    enable individual refuge units to deliver on-the-ground conservation
    that benefits not only wildlife and recreation, but also local
    communities across the Nation.
        We ask that this Committee use a portion of its additional funding
    allocation in the budget deal finalized in January, and put it towards
    a substantial increase in Refuge Operations and Maintenance funding.
    CARE has a goal of seeing Refuge Operations and Maintenance funding
    reach $900 million by fiscal year 2021, and a large increase in fiscal
    year 2020 would help us meet that goal.
        We urge Congress to fund the Refuge System at $586 million in
    fiscal year 2020--to bridge the growing gap between what the System
    needs and what it receives--enabling refuges to continue moving America
    forward as the world's leader in wildlife conservation and restoration.
        Our hope is that this level of funding will put the Refuge System
    on a path to full funding of $900 million and help the System advance
    its mission to maintain refuge lands as intended in their purpose for
    the benefit of the American people, finalize outstanding Comprehensive
    Conservation Plans, and implement programs that will benefit both
    wildlife and people. The President's Budget Request for fiscal year
    2020 is $509.5 million, which would be the highest amount ever
    appropriated to the Refuge System O&M. While we applaud the requested
    increase, more funding is needed.
        On behalf of our more than 16 million members and supporters, CARE
    thanks the subcommittee for the opportunity to submit comments on the
    fiscal year 2020 Senate Interior Appropriations bill, and we look
    forward to more discussions with you regarding our request.
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments
        The Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (CATG) is a consortium
    of 10 Tribal governments located along the Yukon River and its
    tributaries in northeastern Alaska. The Gwich'in and Koyukon Athabascan
    peoples of the Yukon Flats live in remote villages, who united to form
    the Council: Arctic Village, Beaver, Birch Creek, Canyon, Chalkyitsik,
    Circle, Fort Yukon, Rampart, Stevens, and Venetie. Tribal leadership
    has clear vision: stable self-sufficient economies built upon strong
    local self-governance. Our organization provides a variety of services
    to the Tribal citizens of our region, including full healthcare
    services at the Yukon Flats Health Center and village-based clinics in
    four of our Villages. We have Self-Governance agreements with the Fish
    and Wildlife Service and with the Bureau of Land Management.

        CATG requests the following considerations be implemented in the
    fiscal year 2020 Appropriations cycle:

      --Natural Resource Priorities: Ensure Adequate funding for co-
            management.
      --Expand Self-Governance: Expand Self-Governance and fully fund
            Annual Funding Agreements with Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau
            of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife.
      --Section 105(l) Leases: Support funding for healthcare facility
            leases under Section 105(l) of the Indian Self-Determination
            and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA).
      --Budget Increases: Support behavioral health increases to the IHS
            and BIA budgets.
      --Advance Appropriations for IHS: Support advance funding for the IHS
            and other Tribal programs.
      --Contract Support Cost (CSC) Funding: Support continued full and
            mandatory CSC funding for the IHS and BIA.

    Natural Resources

        The traditions of our grandparents live on through our ability to
    hunt and fish, which include the ceremonies that accompany these
    cultural practices. As Native peoples, access to our traditional food
    resources is critical for our culture, health, wellbeing, economic
    security and food sovereignty. The Council advocates for Alaskan
    hunting and fishing management policy and regulations to provide for
    Alaska Native food security, community wellbeing, and traditional ways
    of life. We ask for funding to protect Alaska Native hunting and
    fishing rights.
        The Porcupine Caribou Herd are our relatives, they are the backbone
    of our culture, and they provide for our health, wellbeing, economic
    security, and food security. The Gwich'in Nation and the Council stand
    unified in our call for full protection of the ``Sacred Place Where
    Life Begins,'' birthing grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd along the
    coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge since 1988. Last
    year, Congress opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)
    through the budget process. The Council asks Congress to ensure
    meaningful government to government consultation, and participation by
    all impacted Tribes in all Federal actions related to the Porcupine
    Caribou Herd and their habitats.
        Salmon are our relatives, they are the backbone of our culture, and
    they provide for our health, wellbeing, economic security, and food
    security. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) has confirmed the
    importance of this critical resource, ``the state's rural residents
    harvest approximately 22,000 tons of wild foods each year--an average
    of 375 pounds per person. Fish make up about 60 percent of this harvest
    Statewide. Nowhere else in the United States is there such a heavy
    reliance upon wild foods.'' CATG asks Congress to support Tribal co-
    management, through full funding of the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish
    Commission.

    Expand Self-Governance

        CATG is proud to be one of the first Tribal consortium in the
    country to develop non-Department of the Interior (DOI) Self-Governance
    Annual Funding Agreements (AFA) for agencies other than the Bureau of
    Indian Affairs (BIA). We remain concerned that DOI scopes of work are
    being limited and the original intent and practice of Self-Governance,
    which is to build Tribal capacity to take on increasing levels of
    responsibility, is not being properly carried out. We request your
    support to expand Self-Governance practice and agreements beyond BIA.
        Since 2004, the CATG has had an Annual Funding Agreement (AFA)
    under Title IV of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
    Assistance Act (ISDEAA) with the USFWS. Through the AFA, the CATG has
    implemented selected PFSAs of the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge
    (YFNWR), namely: (1) Cooperative Moose Management Planning; (2)
    education and outreach programming; (3) harvest data collection and
    reporting; (4) logistical maintenance of the only logistical outpost in
    the Refuge; and (5) Refuge Information Technician staffing.
        The AFA's success and growth has been limited by funding levels
    that have remained fairly static since the 1st agreement was signed
    (estimated at $60,000 annually), lacking funding for staff time to
    complete PFSAs and for contract support costs. We appreciate recent
    positive developments with YFNWR leadership in working to expand and
    fully fund the AFA, as it is a beneficial relationship for the YFNWR
    staff, the wildlife and habitat, and Tribal governments. At this time,
    it has been demonstrated CATG needs to implement harvest data
    collection and reporting activities for adequate moose management. CATG
    has demonstrated its commitment to a successful working relationship
    with the YFNWR, and seeks to expand and fully fund the AFA. CATG asks
    Congress to ensure continued, fully funded, and expanded self-
    governance agreement with USFWS YFNWR.
        In 2011, the CATG implemented the first self-governance AFA under
    Title IV of the ISDEAA with the Bureau of Land Management/Alaska Fire
    Service (BLM/AFS). The Council has demonstrated their commitment to
    running a successful Emergency Fire Fighter training and certification
    program ever since. But the 2018 Federal Government shutdown resulted
    in our BLM AFA getting hung up in the process, leaving CATG with
    substantial uncertainty. Announcements are now also coming late for
    contract work with BLM, and these are all jobs that our communities
    count on. The Council has developed a productive partnership with the
    BLM/AFS to more efficiently and effectively use government resources.
    The Council asks for Congress to ensure continued self-governance
    agreement with the BLM AFS through full funding, and we encourage
    Congress to facilitate BLM's cooperation in finalizing and implementing
    the AFA, and other contract work, within this fiscal year 2019, not
    simply kicking the can down the road to fiscal year 2020 as it relates
    to CATG.

    Section 105(l) Clinic Leases

        Tribes and Tribal organizations increasingly rely on section 105(l)
    leases to address chronically underfunded facilities operation,
    maintenance, and replacement costs. We are gratified that IHS has been
    funding Section 105(l) leases for Tribal health clinics. This
    responsibility was confirmed by the 2016 Federal court decision in
    Maniilaq v. Burwell, which held that section 105(l) of the ISDEAA
    provides an entitlement to full compensation for leases of Tribal
    facilities used to carry out ISDEAA agreements. We appreciate your
    supplemental appropriations in fiscal year 2019 for these costs, and we
    ask that funding continue to be made available for these important
    leases. This Committee has invited IHS to submit a report on the budget
    impact of meeting its responsibility. We oppose any appropriations
    rider, such as those included in the administration's budget proposals
    for fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019, which would allow IHS to
    avoid its responsibility to compensate Tribes fully for these costs. We
    ask that Congress again decline to include such a provision in the
    fiscal year 2020 IHS appropriation.

    Budget Increases

        CATG's communities in rural Alaska have extreme rates of suicide,
    alcohol and substance abuse; issues that contribute to a multitude of
    other adverse problems such as crime, domestic violence, child abuse
    and neglect. We have been encouraged by new funding to address the
    opioid crisis that impacts many of our communities. Thank you for the
    new $10 million opioid grant program in the fiscal year 2019 IHS
    budget. However, frequently, Tribes in Alaska have difficulty working
    through the State of Alaska to provide behavioral and social services,
    which adds burdensome layers and undue regulation. We appreciate that
    HHS this year distributed the $50 million in Tribal opioid funds via
    formula.
        CATG believes that Tribes and Tribal organizations should receive
    behavioral funds directly, because programs that implement traditional
    cultural values have proven to be far more successful than those that
    do not. We ask for your support in this effort. CATG also asks for
    support in expanding the Generations Indigenous (Gen-I) initiative,
    which provides increased resources for Tribes to address youth
    behavioral, mental health and substance abuse issues, as well as
    expansion of the Tiwahe Initiative, designed to address the inter-
    related problems of poverty, violence and substance abuse faced by
    Native communities. We appreciate that last year Congress rejected the
    administration's proposal to reduce funding for this important
    initiative.

    Advance Appropriations for IHS

        We thank Ranking Member Udall, Representative Don Young, and
    Interior Appropriations Chairwoman McCollum and Ranking Member Joyce
    for introducing legislation to provide advance appropriations for IHS
    and in some of the bills, for the BIA and BIE. IHS healthcare is
    similar to Veterans healthcare in that both the VA and the IHS provide
    direct medical care and both are the result of Federal policies.
    Predictability, continuity, and certainty are essential for providing
    stable quality healthcare. This issue continues to be important to
    Alaska Native and American Indian patients, particularly in a budget
    climate of seemingly endless Continuing Resolutions (CR). When IHS
    funding is subject to a CR, as it has been repeatedly over many years,
    Tribal healthcare providers receive only a portion of funding at a
    time, making it particularly difficult to implement long-range planning
    and to effectively use and leverage limited resources. Partial funding
    also requires the same processing and manpower for each incomplete
    payment as one full apportionment. Having advance notice of funding
    levels would greatly aid CATG and other Tribal health providers in
    program planning, recruitment and retention of essential healthcare
    professionals. Under advance appropriations, we would know a year in
    advance what the budget would be and it would resolve much of the
    uncertainty we have experienced because full appropriations were not
    enacted at the first of the Federal fiscal year. The IHS budget should
    be afforded the same status consideration as VA health programs.

    Contract Support Cost (CSC) Funding

        CATG would like to thank the House and Senate subcommittees for
    their leadership and commitment to fully funding CSC for IHS and BIA
    ISDEAA agreements. We appreciate the full funding of CSC over the past
    few fiscal years, that the funding is indefinite (``such sums as may be
    necessary'',) and that the funding is in separate accounts in the IHS
    and BIA budgets. We request that the subcommittees continue to fully
    fund CSC. Such action is crucial to strengthening the ability of Tribal
    governments to successfully exercise their rights and responsibilities
    as sovereign nations.

    Telecommunications Subsidies

        As you know, Internet connectivity is critical to providing
    healthcare services to our remote villages. Last year you heard from us
    and other Tribes regarding the cap on Universal Service rural
    healthcare funds. We appreciate the work that was done to eliminate the
    cap.

    Conclusion

        CATG greatly appreciates your consideration of our requests
    outlined in this testimony. On behalf of our organization and all of
    the people we serve, I would be happy to provide any other additional
    information as requested by the subcommittees.

        [This statement was submitted by Rhonda Pitka, Chief of the Village
    of Beaver, and Vice Chair of the Council of Athabascan Tribal
    Governments.]
                                     ______

                        Prepared Statement of Dance/USA
        Madam Chair and distinguished members of the subcommittee, I am
    grateful for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of Dance/
    USA, its Board of Directors and its 500 members. We strongly urge the
    subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies in the
    Committee on Appropriations to designate a total of at least $167.5
    million to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for fiscal year
    2020. This testimony and the funding examples described below are
    intended to highlight the importance of Federal investment in the arts,
    which are critical to sustaining a vibrant cultural community
    throughout the country.
        The NEA is a great investment in the economic growth of every
    community. The NEA was established in 1965 with the mission to
    ``strengthen the creative capacity of our communities by providing all
    Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation.'' It has
    continued to meet this mission for over 50 years, recommending more
    than 2,300 grants in every Congressional District in the country in
    fiscal year 2018. Sixty-five percent of direct grants went to small
    (budgets under $500,000) and medium sized (budgets between $500,000 and
    $2 million) organizations. Additionally, 40 percent of NEA-supported
    activities took place in high-poverty neighborhoods and 36 percent of
    NEA grants reached underserved populations, such as people with
    disabilities and veterans. Between 2012 and 2015, NEA-supported
    programs reached 24.2 million adults and 3.4 children on average each
    year through 80,603 live events.
        Funding from the NEA continues to support arts organizations and
    their communities by providing a high return on investment. The ratio
    of private and other public funds matching every NEA grant dollar is
    approaching 9:1, generating more than $500 million in matching
    supporting.
        Before the establishment of the NEA, funding for the arts was
    mostly limited to larger cities. The NEA is the only arts funder in
    America, public or private, that supports the arts in all 50 States,
    the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Additionally, 40
    percent of the NEA's program funds are distributed through State arts
    agencies, reaching tens of thousands throughout the U.S. NEA funding
    provides access to the arts in regions with histories of
    inaccessibility due to economic or geographic limitations.
        At the national level, the arts and cultural sector contributed
    $763.6 billion to the U.S. economy in 2015, 4.2 percent of the GDP, and
    counted 4.9 million workers who earned $372 billion in total
    compensation. The tax-exempt performing arts organizations contributed
    $9 billion to the U.S. economy and employed 90,000 workers, who earned
    $5.6 billion in total compensation. Consumers spent $31.6 billion on
    admissions to performing arts events.
        Dance companies make communities healthier and more vibrant.
    Audiences across the U.S. have the opportunity to experience dance in
    many aspects of life. Professional not-for-profit dance is highly
    diverse in its artistic forms, covering genres and styles that include
    aerial, ballet, burlesque, capoeira, flamenco, hip hop, hula, jazz,
    kathak, liturgical, modern, physically integrated, and tap dance, in
    addition to fusions of these genres and styles and the incorporation
    into other artistic disciplines. Dance artists work with performing
    arts centers, businesses, park districts, community centers, schools,
    religious institutions, and many other groups to ensure this wealth of
    creative activity is widely accessible to the public.
        Established in 1982 as the national service organizations for the
    professional dance field, Dance/USA's membership currently consists of
    more than 500 dance companies, dance service and presenting
    organizations, individuals, and related organizations.

      --Economic Impact: Not-for-profit dance regularly generates more than
            $700 million in economic activity across the country. In fiscal
            year 2014, reported annual expense budgets totaled $755.5
            million. Ensembles that reported expenses for wages and
            benefits on their 990s paid a total of $372.4 million, which
            approximates to half (50.9 percent) of total aggregated
            expenses for these ensembles.
             According to data compiled by the NEA and the Bureau of
    Economic Analysis' U.S. Arts and Culture Production Satellite Account,
    the gross output from not-for-profit dance companies totaled $972
    million, while the value added to the GDP by dance companies is $573
    million.
             Not-for-profit dance ensembles employed over 15,900
    individuals in a mix of full-time and part time positions in fiscal
    year 14. These ensembles were further supported by more than 22,800
    volunteers.

      --Communities Served: According to the Survey of Public Participation
            in the Arts (SPPA), social dancing is the most common way
            Americans performed art in 2012. African Americans are the
            race/ethnic group more likely to dance in a formal setting, and
            Hispanics are the group most likely to dance socially. The
            rates of dance participation are highest for younger adults
            (18-34). Dance (other than ballet) is the only performing arts
            activity for which U.S. attendance rates at performances did
            not fall between 2002 and 2012. (Data from the 2017 SPPA
            research has not yet been fully released.)

      --Dance Works: According to research conducted by Dance/USA, the
            dominant motivation for attending dance performances,
            representing 50 percent of those surveyed, is to be inspired or
            uplifted. Not-for-profit dance performances have the
            opportunity to bring communities together, supporting social
            and emotional needs of audience members.
                               nea grants at work
        NEA grants are awarded to dance organizations through its core
    programs: Art Works; Challenge America Fast Track Grants; and Federal/
    State Partnerships. In fiscal year 2018, the NEA awarded 163 grants to
    the dance field through the Art Works category, totaling $3,920,000.
        Below are just a few examples of the excellent initiatives that
    dance groups are engaged in, supporting artists, audiences, and
    communities.
    Karen Peterson and Dancers
    Miami, Florida
    $35,000
        Karen Peterson and Dancers received support to re-stage and present
    choreographer Paul Taylor's ``3 Epitaphs'' by Valencia College
    students. Francie Huber, an award-winning principal dancer with the
    Paul Taylor Dance Company for 14 years and a teacher of modern dance
    and Taylor workshops, restaged the work. Outreach activities included
    master classes for high school students, open rehearsals, and
    discounted tickets.
    National Institute of Flamenco
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
    $15,000
        National Institute of Flamenco received support for residency
    activities for flamenco artists traveling from Spain to New Mexico.
    Through the Visiting Artist Line, NIF brings the world's finest
    professional flamenco artists, including dancers, choreographers,
    musicians, costumers, and design technicians for residencies in New
    Mexico that can last from eight days to four weeks. These guest artists
    interacted with local and national communities by teaching, providing
    professional development opportunities, performing, collaborating,
    creating new dance works, and facilitating international artistic
    networks.
    Nashville Ballet
    Nashville, Tennessee
    $15,000
        Nashville Ballet received funding to support the company premiere
    of Stephen Mills' ``Light: The Holocaust and Humanity Project,'' and
    accompanying community engagement programming. The work was presented
    at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville as part of a
    larger community collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Nashville,
    the Tennessee Holocaust Commission, and the Nashville Symphony
    Orchestra.
    Axis Dance Company
    Oakland, California
    $20,000
        Axis Dance Company received support for dance education and
    outreach programs for youth and adults with and without disabilities.
    AXIS offered a variety of educational opportunities in the Bay Area and
    on a national tour. Project activities included dance classes,
    professional-level dance training, teacher training, a choreographic
    lab for choreographers with disabilities, dance apprenticeships,
    community workshops, lecture-demonstrations, residencies, and open
    rehearsals and movement experiences for veterans.
    Eugene Ballet
    Eugene, Oregon
    $15,000
        Eugene Ballet received support for the premiere of ``Peer Gynt,'' a
    multimedia ballet by choreographer Toni Pimble based on Henrik Ibsen's
    fairy tale play. In collaboration with designer Andy Warfel and video
    engineer and multidisciplinary artist Jessey Zepeda, the ballet
    included virtual theatrical scenery. Multimedia elements helped
    communicate the complicated narrative. Outreach and education
    programming included pre-performance discussions and lecture-
    demonstrations in rural schools.
    Conclusion
        Dance/USA is grateful for the $2 million increase to the NEA in
    fiscal year 2019. The continued bipartisan support for the agency has
    continued to support artists and audiences, allowing dance and the arts
    to address critical issues, making communities healthier and more
    vibrant.
        We urge you to continue toward restoration and increase the NEA
    funding allocation $167.5 million for fiscal year 2020.
        On behalf of Dance/USA, thank you for considering this request.

        [This statement was submitted by Amy Fitterer, Executive Director.]
                                     ______

                    Prepared Statement of David Jonas Bardin
             usgs geomagnetism program and & mt survey continuation
    Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        Thank you for rejecting proposals to zero out the USGS Geomagnetism
    program in fiscal year 2018 and 2019.
        I ask for $4 million in fiscal year 2020. OMB proposes a program
    cut of 25 percent, which would lead USGS to mothball three of its 14
    magnetic observatories--in Alaska, California, and Mississippi.
        I support OMB's new $1.726 million line for continuation of the
    magnetotelluric survey. (See USGS Energy and Mineral Resources
    program).
        USGS researchers combine observatory detections of magnetic storms
    (``space weather'' from the Sun) with MT survey data as they become
    available, finding ``that risk varies considerably from region to
    region, with some electrically resistive rocks boosting the regional
    geoelectric hazard by a factor of a hundred.'' See National Geographic,
    Solar storms can be even worse if you live near certain rocks: New USGS
    data show how cities have higher or lower risks of blackouts during a
    powerful sun storm depending on their regional geology (March 18,
    2019).
                              geomagnetism program
        This program is underfunded: Congress has appropriated $1.888
    million every year since fiscal year 2013 when sequestration hit. In
    fiscal year 2012, it was $2.004 million, in fiscal year 2011 it was
    $2.097 million, in fiscal year 2010 it was $2.138 million.
        Moreover, the U.S. Air Force has decided to stop contributing to
    this program after 14 years--during which other agencies benefiting
    from USGS observatory data (such as NOAA) contributed nothing. (USGS
    will continue to give USAF and other agencies data--at no charge--to
    extent collected.)
        USGS's high-quality Geomagnetism program--vital to space weather
    predictions, electric power grid protection, civilian and military
    navigation (and more)--should expand rather than contract. ``For both
    science and practical applications there are already too few permanent
    magnetic observatories'' write our international partners (March 20,
    2019, letter to USGS from Dr. Alan Thomson of British Geological Survey
    on behalf of INTERMAGNET and IAGA).

      --Congress should fund entire program through USGS (in the Interior
            et al bill).
      --Congress should add $1.1 million to last year's appropriation
            ($650,000 to offset loss of USAF funding and $450,000 to offset
            erosion of buying power, catch up on maintenance of all 14
            existing observatories, and modestly to expand this program.
      --Congress should enable USGS to operate permanent magnetometers to
            measure magnetic fields at each of its 14 observatories and to
            add permanent electrometers to measure electric fields directly
            at some (only Boulder now has an electrometer). See USGS
            observatory map, below.
      --Congress should enable USGS to overcome insufficiency of magnetic
            observatories--especially in the vast Eastern electric power
            interconnection, home to most Americans (where USGS has only
            two observatories, one to be mothballed) and the Texas
            interconnection (where it has none).

        Executive Order 13865 (March 26, 2019), Sec. 5(c), directs the
    Secretary of the Interior to ``support the research, development,
    deployment, and operation of capabilities that enhance understanding of
    variations of Earth's magnetic field associated with [natural and
    human-made electromagnetic pulses] EMPs'', but OMB proposes to withhold
    Geomagnetism program resources essential to do that.

                                   mt survey
        OMB's proposed MT survey continuation line (under Energy and
    Mineral Resources program) is reasonably scaled for fiscal year 2020.
    E.O. 13865, section 6(b)(iv) directs: ``Within 4 years of the date of
    this order, the Secretary of the Interior shall complete a
    magnetotelluric survey of the contiguous United States to help critical
    infrastructure owners and operators conduct EMP vulnerability
    assessments.''
        Reference: Budget Justifications and Performance Information Fiscal
    Year 2020--USGS, pp. 49-50, 70-71.

        [This statement was submitted by David Jonas Bardin.]
                                     ______

                Prepared Statement of the Defenders of Wildlife
        Madam Chairman, Ranking Member and Members of the subcommittee,
    thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony for the record.
    Founded in 1947, Defenders has more than 1.8 million members and
    supporters and is dedicated to the conservation of wild animals and
    plants in their natural communities.
        Our Nation's wildlife is caught up in the planet's sixth mass
    extinction, yet, in recent years, programs that preserve wildlife and
    habitat have been hollowed out by severely inadequate funding. The
    President's budget again includes a number of draconian cuts. Defenders
    urges the subcommittee to begin to rebuild our wildlife conservation
    framework by providing robust increases for these crucial programs,
    particularly given the additional funding that we hope will be
    available in the 403(b)-allocation given the fire funding fix that will
    go into effect in fiscal year 2020.
        Defenders remains skeptical about efforts to reorganize the
    Department of the Interior by consolidating authority for administering
    diverse Interior agencies and we oppose the $28 million requested for
    this purpose. Reorganization would reduce or eliminate the relative
    independence of agencies to manage and conserve land, waters, and
    wildlife in accordance with their individual statutory and policy
    mandates and would be detrimental to transparent and balanced
    decisionmaking and conservation of our natural resources. Relocating
    central offices to various western locales also would make them more
    prone to capture by development and resource extraction industries. We
    urge you to reject this proposal. We also have concerns which we
    specify later in our testimony regarding budget restructuring proposals
    for various agencies in the request.
        While we appreciate that nearly all riders that threatened to
    undermine protections for imperiled species and the Endangered Species
    Act (ESA) were stricken from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019,
    we urge that the subcommittee not continue the sage-grouse listing
    prohibition rider which has been included in the bill since 2014. The
    Trump administration has reversed course on the unprecedented and
    broadly supported initiative to conserve the sage-grouse. The U.S. Fish
    and Wildlife Service must have all tools available to conserve the
    imperiled bird.
                           fish and wildlife service
        The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is our Nation's premier
    wildlife conservation agency yet the request proposes a 15.8 percent
    cut below the fiscal year 2019 level. The FWS needs significant
    increases to support recovery of threatened and endangered species;
    protection of migratory birds and fish, species of global conservation
    concern and other trust species; and prevention of both domestic and
    international wildlife crimes.
        Ecological Services.--Recently, a coalition of more than 200
    organizations sent a letter to Congress requesting a significant
    infusion of funds into the Ecological Services program to begin to
    address the extinction crisis, a total of $486 million, nearly double
    the current level of $251.8 million:

      --Listing: Several years ago, FWS developed a broadly supported
            workplan to allow for timely listing decisions on 350 species.
            Because of decreases to listing, FWS now has a backlog of 77
            species with delayed listing decisions as well as 78 species in
            the workplan for 2020 for a total current listing backlog of
            155 species. For FWS to meet these and other obligations under
            the listing budget, a total of $51 million is needed annually,
            an increase of $32.7 million over the fiscal year 2019 level.
            Species due for decisions include the Eastern Hellbender, the
            American Wolverine, the Humboldt Marten and the Yellow Banded
            Bumble bee. The President's request cuts the listing program by
            an unacceptable 39.3 percent.
      --Recovery: Currently, more than 480 listed species lack final
            recovery plans and another 500 plans will need to be updated in
            the next 5 years. Moreover, hundreds of listed species receive
            less than $1,000 per year for recovery with many receiving no
            FWS funding at all. Congress should provide a minimum of
            $50,000 per year per species for recovery to ensure no species
            slips through the cracks. For FWS to meet these and other
            obligations under the recovery budget, a total of $196.7
            million is needed annually, an increase of $101.7 million.
      --Planning and Consultation: FWS conducts ESA Section 7 consultations
            on more than 10,000 Federal actions each year so that projects
            can move forward while minimizing harm to listed species. The
            program has been flat or declining since the early 2000's. To
            meet planning and consultation needs, including highly
            technical analyses on issues such as pesticides and to work
            with non-Federal stakeholders to develop Habitat Conservation
            Plans, $130 million is needed annually, an increase of $23.9
            million over the fiscal year 2019 level.
      --Conservation and Restoration: At least $8 million per year from
            fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2025 is needed for the
            Candidate Conservation element of Conservation and Restoration
            to assist with early conservation action on the current 23
            candidate species.
      --Wolf Livestock Loss Demonstration Program: Defenders urges
            continued funding at no less than $1 million for this program
            that assists livestock owners co-existing with wolves.

        National Wildlife Refuge System.--Our National Wildlife Refuge
    System is the largest network of public lands and water in the Nation
    dedicated to wildlife conservation, unique in that it is one of the few
    places on the planet where wildlife comes first. The fiscal year 2019
    level of $488.3 million for Refuge System Operations and Maintenance
    (O&M) is $96 million below the level needed to keep pace with inflation
    and salary increases relative to the fiscal year 2010 level of $503.2
    million. Defenders recommends $586 million for O&M for fiscal year
    2020, an increase of $98 million over fiscal year 2019. The Cooperative
    Alliance for Refuge Enhancement, a broad coalition of 23 hunting,
    fishing, conservation and scientific organizations estimates at least
    $900 million is needed annually for O&M.
        Migratory Bird Management.--According to a 2018 report \1\ at least
    40 percent of bird species worldwide are experiencing declining
    populations. Despite this alarming fact, the Trump administration is
    moving to eliminate long-standing protections for migratory birds
    against incidental take. Defenders recommends a return to no less than
    the fiscal year 2010 level of $54.5 million, an increase of $8.1
    million over the fiscal year 2019 level to support crucial survey and
    monitoring programs and for building resilience of bird species and
    their habitats.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ https://www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/attachments/
    BL_ReportENG_V11_spreads.pdf
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        Office of Law Enforcement (OLE).--We are extremely grateful that
    the fiscal year 2019 bill continued appropriated funding to support
    inspectors at ports of entry currently without personnel and we urge it
    be maintained. Defenders supports $85 for million for fiscal year 2020,
    an increase of $5.9 million over the fiscal year 2019 level to help OLE
    continue to address the crisis in the illegal global wildlife trade.
        International Affairs.--Defenders supports $18 million for fiscal
    year 2020, an increase of $2.2 million, crucial in continuing to combat
    illegal wildlife trade and to build capacity in range countries.
        Cooperative Landscape Conservation and Science Support.--We thank
    the subcommittee for again restoring funding for these two programs
    which the administration had zeroed out in its fiscal year 2019 request
    and has once again zeroed out. We recommend increases over current
    levels, returning to the requests made in the last Obama administration
    budget for fiscal year 2017 for $17.8 million (an increase of $5.3
    million) and $20.6 million (an increase of $3.3 million) respectively.
    With these increases, FWS can continue to work to address complex
    challenges, such as climate change, across large landscapes and
    otherwise address scientific questions key to conservation of trust
    species.
        Key Grant Programs.--Defenders supports: $100 million for the
    Cooperative Endangered Species Fund, an increase of $54 million; $6.5
    million for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Fund, an increase of $2.6
    million; $15 million for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund,
    an increase of $3.4 million; and $70 million for State and Tribal
    Wildlife Grants, an increase of $5.4 million.
                u.s forest service and bureau of land management
        The U.S. Forest Service (FS) and the Bureau of Land Management
    (BLM) are essential to the conservation of wildlife and habitat in the
    United States. The administration is proposing to consolidate nine
    National Forest System budget line items into a single budget line
    item. Defenders is concerned that such a consolidation, given this
    administration's narrow focus on timber production, could be
    devastating to wildlife habitat and watersheds. Under any scenario,
    Congress must reaffirm meaningful performance metrics for wildlife
    habitat, watersheds, and forest resiliency on FS lands. In addition,
    while Defenders was opposed to restructuring the BLM Wildlife and Fish
    activity into the new Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Management activity
    approved in the fiscal year 2019 bill, we appreciate that specific
    funding for Threatened and Endangered Species (T&E) was maintained and
    we urge the subcommittee to continue this specific funding. We also
    remain concerned about the level of accountability and transparency in
    allocating the T&E funding under the new structure. We ask the
    subcommittee to ensure that BLM reporting on the use of these funds is
    accurate and to make clear to the agency that T&E funding is to be used
    specifically to advance conservation and recovery of the 430 listed
    species and at least 31 candidate species found on BLM lands rather
    than to pay for Section 7 compliance which ought to be funded by the
    benefitting programs. In addition, Defenders requests that BLM be
    prohibited from using any funds on all oil and gas activities in the
    Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in fiscal year
    2020.
        BLM Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Management.--Defenders opposes the
    35 percent cut in the President's request which includes nearly a 50
    percent cut to T&E funding. We urge $200.8 million, an increase of
    $18.3 million over the fiscal year 2019 level of $182.5 million which
    includes a total of $23.8 million for T&E, an increase of $2.2 million
    over the fiscal year 2019 level. We also will be providing the
    subcommittee with some specific recommendations for report language and
    funding initiatives to help conserve the greater sage-grouse and
    sagebrush habitat which will be needed to help mitigate the damage
    likely to occur under the current administration's new sage-grouse plan
    amendments.
        BLM Renewable Energy.--Defenders supports the requested level of
    $29.1 million, an increase of $4.8 million over the fiscal year 2019
    level to continue facilitating renewable energy development on public
    lands, while avoiding areas with natural resource conflicts, including
    sensitive wildlife species.
        BLM Resource Management Planning, Assessment and Monitoring.--
    Defenders opposes the 17.4 percent cut to this program in the request.
    We urge $69.4 million, an increase of $6.3 million over the fiscal year
    2019 level of $63.1 million to support crucial data collection and
    monitoring of ecological conditions and trends on the landscape as well
    as continued development of the Enterprise GIS.
        FS Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management.--Wildlife and
    Fisheries Habitat Management has been essentially flat-funded since
    fiscal year 2014, yet the request cuts the program by an indeterminate
    amount. We support restoring funding to at least the fiscal year 2010
    level of $143 million, $6 million over the fiscal year 2019 level to
    carry out critical conservation and recovery activities for the nearly
    470 threatened and endangered species and 3,100 sensitive species that
    depend on FS lands and to help address the loss of biologists that has
    occurred in recent years.
        FS Land Management Planning, Assessment and Monitoring.--The
    request cuts this program by an indeterminate amount. Defenders
    supports maintaining funding at no less than the fiscal year 2017 level
    of $182.9 million, $2.9 million over the fiscal year 2019 level.
    Outdated forest plans lack effective habitat conservation and
    restoration strategies.
        FS Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program.--The request
    zeroes out the program, despite the 2018 Farm Bill's doubling of
    authority to $80 million, which Defenders supports.
        FS Forest and Rangeland Research (FS R&D).--The request cuts R&D by
    20 percent. We urge a return to the fiscal year 2010 level of $245
    million, $22 million over fiscal year 2019, which included $30.5
    million for Wildlife and Fish R&D. Adequate funding for this program is
    crucial in providing relevant tools and information to support
    sustainable management of both Federal and non-Federal forest lands.
                             u.s. geological survey
        The U.S. Geological Survey provides the basic science for
    conservation of wildlife and habitat. We are extremely concerned about
    the proposal in the President's budget to consolidate and substantially
    reduce funding for the Ecosystems and Land Resources activities.
        National and Regional Climate Science Centers.--The request cuts
    the Climate Science Centers by 5.5 percent and proposes to ``realign
    centers.'' Given the magnitude of the climate crisis threatening our
    planet, the Centers should be maintained and funded at $30.9 million,
    an increase of $7 million and equal to the request made in the last
    Obama administration budget in fiscal year 2017 to support scientific
    needs in planning for climate change adaptation and building resiliency
    of ecosystems.
        Ecosystems.--The request restructures and cuts this activity by
    10.1 percent, including eliminating the Cooperative Research Units
    which Defenders opposes. Defenders urges funding at no less than the
    fiscal year 2017 request of $173. 9 million, $17 million above fiscal
    year 2019 to help support development of crucial scientific information
    for sound management of our Nation's biological resources.
                    land and water conservation fund (lwcf)
        The request slashes funding by 105 percent. We support phased in
    increases to LWCF to ultimately reach the fully authorized $900 million
    level. These increases are needed to help to save some of the 6,000
    acres of open space, including wildlife habitat, that are lost each day
    in the United States.\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ http://www.fs.fed.us/openspace/coop_across_boudaries.html

        [This statement was submitted by Mary Beth Beetham, Director of
    Legislative Affairs.]
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the Dine Grant Schools Association
        The Dine Grant Schools Association (DGSA) is comprised of the
    school boards of seven Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded schools
    which are operated pursuant to the Tribally Controlled Schools Act
    (Public Law 100-297) and located on the Navajo Nation in Arizona and
    New Mexico. These schools are: Black Mesa Community School; Dzilth-Na-
    O-Dith-Hle Community Grant School; Hanaadli Community School/Dormitory,
    Inc.; Lukachukai Community School; Pinon Community School; Pine Hill
    Schools; and Shiprock Associated Schools, Inc.
        Success through language, culture, community involvement, and high
    standards. As Tribal school boards, we have both the greater freedom
    and the tremendous responsibility to ensure that our students receive a
    quality and culturally relevant education that will help them reach
    their fullest potential. We believe that successful students know who
    they are, that they are valued, and that great things are expected of
    them. Our schools incorporate Navajo language and culture into our
    curricula. We set rigorous standards that our students must strive to
    meet and give them a sense of accomplishment at their achievements.
        Why Federal funding matters. It is difficult to concentrate on
    school lessons if you are too cold or the roof is leaking or the water
    pipes do not function properly. It is difficult to take Partnership for
    Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) online practice
    tests or take distance learning Advanced Placement classes with
    unreliable and slow Internet connections. It is difficult to ride the
    bus on unimproved roads and to a deteriorating school that has lingered
    on a replacement list because of lack of funding. These challenges to
    learning are prevalent throughout Indian Country. What has been
    different these past several years is an extensive change in
    understanding the extent of these challenges and a bipartisan support
    to address them. For this, we are deeply grateful to our partners in
    Congress.
        Our highest funding priorities are: ISEP formula funds; Tribal
    Grant Support Costs; Facilities Operations and Maintenance; and the
    FACE Program in the BIE budget as well as Education Construction and
    Repair and Road Maintenance in the BIA budget. These programs make the
    greatest difference in our ability to educate our students.
        Indian School Equalization Program (ISEP) Formula Funds. The Indian
    School Equalization Program (ISEP) Formula is the core budget account
    for Educational and Residential programs of the BIE elementary and
    secondary schools and dormitories. These funds are used for
    instructional programs at BIE-funded schools as well as salaries and
    benefits of teachers, educational technicians, other support staff and
    principals. For years, the amount appropriated for ISEP formula funds
    increased barely enough to cover fixed costs. We appreciate that
    Congress has provided program increases these past several fiscal
    years.
        Impact. For most BIE-funded schools, the chronic shortfall in the
    other key school accounts has a negative impact on ISEP Formula
    funding, because ISEP Formula funds are often diverted to make up the
    shortfalls in other accounts, such as Facilities Operations and
    Maintenance, when a Tribe or Tribal school board has no other source of
    funding to satisfy those shortfalls. This means fewer funds are
    available for instructional activities. We are tremendously grateful
    that Congress has increased funding for these critical accounts so ISEP
    Formula funds can be used for their intended purpose.
        Request. The $1.28 million program increase for a total of $404.2
    million that Congress provided in fiscal year 2019 from fiscal year
    2018 is very helpful, however, this total amount still does not
    acknowledge the shortfalls that have been building for many years.
    Therefore, we respectfully request an additional increase in ISEP
    Formula funding for fiscal year 2020.
        Tribal Grant Support Costs. Since the 1988 Elementary and Secondary
    Education Act reauthorization, tribally-operated elementary and
    secondary schools have received funding for the administrative expenses
    incurred for the operation of BIE-funded schools through an
    Administrative Cost Grant, now called Tribal Grant Support Costs
    (TGSC). Tribal Grant Support Costs are the Contract Support Costs for
    tribally controlled schools. These funds are used for essential
    services such as contract/grant administration; program planning and
    development; human resources; insurance; fiscal, procurement, and
    property management; required annual audits; recordkeeping; and legal,
    security, and other overhead services.
        Impact. We appreciate in that in recent fiscal years the Obama and
    Trump administrations have requested and Congress has committed to
    providing full funding for Tribal Grant Support Costs.
        Request. We would like to express our appreciation for this
    bipartisan commitment to fully fund Tribal Grant Support Costs and
    express support for its continuation for fiscal year 2020.
        Early Childhood or ``FACE'' Program. The Early Childhood and Family
    Development budget category commonly referred to as the ``FACE''
    program is designed to (1) strengthen family-school-community
    relations, (2) increase parent participation in education, and (3)
    support parents in their role as a child's first and most important
    teacher. Many of DGSA's Member schools run successful FACE programs so
    we ask the subcommittees to once again reject any administration
    proposals to zero out this program.
        Impact. The FACE program teaches essential skills to children that
    help make them kindergarten-ready, such as direction on how to hold a
    pencil, color, and write their name. There is a marked academic
    difference in outcomes for those children who have access to a FACE-
    funded program and those who do not. Further, these programs strengthen
    families and communities and help increase parent engagement. For
    example, parents who attend the FACE program are able to attain their
    GED and then go on to community college or training programs. Parents
    are also taught how to academically engage with their children, leaning
    study skills and the importance of education. Families are another
    critical factor in whether children succeed academically.
        Request. We respectfully ask that the subcommittees continue to
    reject any administration proposal to zero out this vital program and
    continue to provide adequate funding to support the FACE program for
    fiscal year 2020.
        Facilities Operations and Maintenance. Facilities Operations
    funding is for the ongoing operational necessities such as electricity,
    heating fuels, custodial services, communications, refuse collection
    and water and sewer service. Facilities Maintenance funds are intended
    to provide for the preventative, routine, and unscheduled maintenance
    for all school buildings, equipment, utility systems, and ground
    structures. We appreciate that these budget categories have seen some
    increases in recent years. While the recent increases for these two
    budget categories are important improvements; we note that the fiscal
    year 2017 budget justification states that the $66.2 million requested
    for Facilities Operations and the $59 million requested for Facilities
    Maintenance would fund 78 percent of calculated Facilities Operations
    and Maintenance need across BIE-funded schools. Neither the fiscal year
    2018 budget justification nor the fiscal year 2019 budget justification
    bothered to provide an estimate for what full funding would be. We also
    note that Facilities Operations and Facilities Maintenance are some of
    the last budget categories for primary and secondary schools that are
    still funded on a fiscal year schedule, rather than a forward funded
    (school year) basis. Continuing Resolutions and government shut-downs
    can wreak havoc when trying to carry out these activities.
        Backlog. The Department of the Interior's fiscal year 2019 budget
    justification projected that by the end of fiscal year 2018, ``68
    percent of school facilities will be in good or fair condition.'' This
    projection still leaves 32 percent of school facilities for Indian
    students in ``poor'' condition. We also note that the fiscal year 2019
    budget justification states that as of the first quarter of fiscal year
    2018, there were ``$634 million dollars of deferred maintenance across
    BIE-school facilities and grounds.'' Accordingly, many BIE-funded
    schools are being written up for health and safety violations but have
    no money to make the needed changes. Schools are also being threatened
    with fines or being shut down. If schools do not have the needed
    facilities funds, they are forced to use education funds. Part of the
    maintenance problem will be resolved by replacing aging, deteriorated
    schools, but Federal resources for maintenance are needed to preserve
    that investment and to ensure our schools' facilities remain fully
    functional learning environments throughout the length of their design
    life.
        Proposed Public Lands Infrastructure Fund or Other Related Funding
    Legislation. We sincerely appreciated that BIE-funded schools were
    included among the national parks and national wildlife refuges as
    eligible for repairs and improvements funding in the 2019 legislative
    proposal to establish the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund. However, it
    is uncertain whether the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund will be
    proposed in the current legislative session and whether there would be
    sufficient congressional support for the Public Lands Infrastructure
    Fund to move forward. Alternatively, we are highly supportive of BIE-
    funded schools being included as eligible recipients for repairs and
    improvements funding in any Public Works, Public Infrastructure, or
    other related legislation proposed during the current congressional
    session.
        Impact. There are numerous studies which attest to the fact that
    there is a close correlation between poor or inadequate facility
    conditions and poor student and staff performance. Because we cannot
    delay paying our utilities or avoid taking actions that would impact
    student safety, we often have to resort to using our other education or
    academic program monies-just like what happened when Tribal Grant
    Support Costs were not fully funded.
        Request. We respectfully ask that the subcommittee provide full,
    consistent funding for Facilities Operations and Facilities Maintenance
    and transition these two budget categories to a forward funded (school
    year) budget cycle, just like the other core education accounts. In
    addition, we request that BIE-funded schools be included as eligible
    recipients of repairs and improvements funding in any Public Works,
    Public Infrastructure, or other related legislation in order to address
    the $634 million maintenance backlog to BIE-school facilities and
    grounds.
        Education Construction and Repair. This funding category within the
    BIA Construction budget includes Replacement School Construction;
    Facilities Component Replacement; Facilities Improvement and Repair;
    and Employee Housing Repair. According to the Department of the
    Interior, the current backlog of construction projects is estimated to
    be as high as $1.3 billion. The BIE has stated that its ``next-step''
    is to ``develop a long-term school construction funding plan that will
    address the needs of all BIE funded schools determined to be in poor
    condition.'' We were encouraged by the important increases that the
    subcommittees provided for Education Construction in fiscal year 2016
    and then maintained in fiscal year 2017, and followed by more
    significant increases in fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019 for
    which we are very grateful. Two DGSA Member schools are on the National
    Review Committee's 2016 Replacement List: Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle
    Community Grant School is in the design phase and has issued an RFP for
    schematic designs while Lukachukai Community School completed the
    planning phase and is waiting for design phase funds. Given the state
    of school facilities across the BIE system, we ask that the
    subcommittees continue to appropriate the kind of funding levels for
    Replacement School Construction and Facilities Component Replacement
    which will make a meaningful impact on the school replacement lists.
        Impact. Facilities within the BIE system are woefully outdated and,
    in some cases, dangerous for students and staff. Each year that the
    Facilities Improvement and Repair budget is underfunded, our facilities
    deteriorate more quickly. The lack of an appropriate learning
    environment in many BIE system schools puts Native students at an
    unfair disadvantage. In turn, the schools are then blamed for any low
    academic performance.
        Request. We respectfully request that Congress and the
    administration consult with Tribes and Tribal school boards when
    developing this long-term school replacement and repair plan. Further,
    we ask that once developed, Congress implement this plan by providing
    consistent funding for Education Construction and Repair each fiscal
    year.
        Road Maintenance. The subcommittees have highlighted the poor
    conditions and backlog of deferred maintenance of unpaved roads and
    bridges in Indian Country that are used by school buses to transport
    students. We would like to thank the subcommittees for attempting to
    hold the BIA accountable and for providing additional funding directed
    to these routes.
        Request. We respectfully request that the subcommittees increase
    funding directed to these school bus routes for fiscal year 2020 and
    continue your efforts to hold the BIA accountable. As of this writing,
    we are not sure how or where these funds have been allocated.

        [This statement was submitted by Marlene Watashe, President.]
                                     ______

                     Prepared Statement of Dr. Adam Schultz
                    agency: united states geological survey
        1.  Account: Energy, Minerals, and Environmental Health
     Program/Activity:  Energy and Minerals/Mineral Resources/
    Magnetotelluric
     Survey
     Fiscal Year 2020 President's Budget Request: $1,726,000
     My Suggested Request: $1,726,000

        2.  Account: Natural Hazards
     Program/Activity: Geomagnetism
     Fiscal Year 2020 President's Budget Request: $1,888,000
     My Suggested Request: $4,000,000

    Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        The effects of space weather--charged particles emitted by the
    Sun--are felt at ground level, including disturbances in the
    geomagnetic field that cause anomalous geomagnetically induced electric
    currents (GICs) to flow through high-voltage electric power
    transmission lines, pipelines and other critical infrastructure. Such
    naturally occurring electromagnetic pulse (EMP) events, along with
    those generated by high altitude detonation of nuclear devices (HEMP)
    pose a critical threat to the U.S. economy, national security and the
    health and safety of the American people. Cascading failures of the
    most vulnerable of approximately 2200 high-voltage transformers
    underpinning the U.S. power transmission network can lead to large-
    scale, sustained power grid interruptions, profound economic, national
    security and societal impacts. Other risk factors include power grid
    voltage/frequency instabilities, power interruptions, and premature
    ageing of critical infrastructure. This is recognized as a significant
    threat to our way of life, and efforts to assess and mitigate this high
    risk level have been encapsulated in the National Space Weather Action
    Plan and Strategy [NSTC, 2015; update 2019], Executive Order 13744
    [Obama, 2016], Executive Order 13865 [Trump, 2019], FERC Orders 779,
    851, NERC (North American Electrical Reliability Corporation) electric
    Transmission system standards TPL 007-1,2,3]. Among the enforceable
    standards, power transmission risk assessments must factor in the
    variations of the electrical conductivity of the geologic structures
    and materials beneath ground level, and power transmission system
    sensor and ground-level magnetic field sensor data must be acquired.
        During the period 2006-2018 I served as the Principal Scientist
    responsible under National Science Foundation EarthScope Program
    support to execute a program of mapping the electrical conductivity
    variations in the crust and upper mantle beneath the conterminous U.S.
    and parts of the interior of Alaska in a region immediately north of
    Fairbanks. We employed a geophysical method (magnetotelluric method, or
    MT) that involves monitoring the natural changes in the electric and
    magnetic field measured at ground level at a grid of survey locations
    that returns information we can use to image the Earth's interior in a
    manner analogous to MRI or CT scanning in medical diagnostics. By
    mapping the changes in electrical conductivity below ground level, we
    can provide information on fundamental Earth processes, but we also
    provide information on ground conductivity that is essential to
    assessing and mitigating the risk of geomagnetically induced currents
    (GICs) in the power grid, in pipelines, and in other structures caused
    by space weather and by high-altitude electromagnetic pulse.

        Figure 1. Locations at which measurements of the Earth's electric
    and magnetic field variations were recorded under the NSF EarthScope
    Program. Long-period MT station occupation time is typically 3-6
    weeks. MT equipment is then relocated to next available grid point in
    rolling array. Blue dots on almost regularly-spaced station location
    grid represent 1167 MT sites operated by Oregon State University (OSU)
    under NSF funding, under the direct oversight of Incorporated Research
    Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). Yellow dots represent 44 MT sites
    operated by USGS sites in part of FL; TN, AR, MO (not shown) and
    included in the open access EarthScope data base. Cyan dots represent
    MT sites acquired under other programs. Red dots represent 54 MT sites
    OSU is current acquiring in California under NASA funding. Yellow dots
    represent the permanent USGS and Natural Resources Canada magnetic
    observatories. Note: The USGS magnetic observatories in Fresno,
    California, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and Shumagin, Alaska become
    unmaintained as of April 22, 2019 as a consequence of USAF support for
    co-funding the USGS Geomagnetism Program ending.

        Executive Order 13865 (March 26, 2019) directs that: ``Within 4
    years of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior shall
    complete a magnetotelluric survey of the contiguous United States to
    help critical infrastructure owners and operators conduct EMP
    vulnerability assessments.''

        The $1.725 million in the OMB fiscal year 2020 budget request for
    DOI/USGS, for the first year of a 4 year magnetotelluric survey called
    for in Executive Order 13865, is of critical importance to providing
    continuity of operations to the MT survey, which was executed by Oregon
    State University during the 15 years of the NSF EarthScope Program (now
    ended), completing it over approximately 2/3rd of the territory of the
    conterminous U.S. (Figure 1 above). In the course of executing that
    program of basic scientific research, it was discovered that the data
    returned was of great importance to assessing and mitigating the risk
    to the electric power grid and other critical infrastructure from the
    effects of Space Weather and Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP). The data
    returned from this effort has been adopted widely in efforts to assess
    and mitigate risk to the power grid from these threats. The fiscal year
    2020 budget line initiates a 4-year program overseen by USGS to
    complete MT survey operations in the remaining ``southern tier'' of the
    United States.
        While Executive Order 13865 specifies the completion of the survey
    in the contiguous U.S., this activity also lays the foundation in
    subsequent fiscal years for extending the MT survey to all regions of
    Alaska where assessing and mitigating space weather and EMP risk to the
    Alaska power transmission and pipeline networks is a priority.

        Suggested Language Request: The committee recognizes risks to the
    Nation's electric power transmission network, pipelines, and other
    critical infrastructure from geomagnetic field disturbances. The
    Committee provides $1,726,000 to collect magnetotelluric observations
    of the Earth's naturally occurring electric and magnetic fields in U.S.
    regions for which this data has not already been collected to inform
    the conductivity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle of the
    conterminous United States.

    The second request:

        I ask for your support to increase the U.S. Geological Survey
    Natural Hazards line request for Geomagnetism from $1.888 million to
    $4.0 million.

        Executive Order 13865 (March 26, 2019) also directs the Secretary
    of the Interior to ``support the research, development, deployment, and
    operation of capabilities that enhance understanding of variations of
    Earth's magnetic field associated with [natural and human-made
    electromagnetic pulses] EMPs'', but OMB proposes to withhold
    Geomagnetism program resources essential to do that.

        The geomagnetism program operates the Nation's network of permanent
    magnetic observatories, which provide a continuous, high-quality stream
    of data on the geomagnetic field at ground level from a small set of
    stations within the conterminous U.S., as well as in Alaska, Hawaii and
    a small number of island stations. These data have proven essential to
    assessing and mitigating risk to the electric power grid and other
    critical infrastructure from the effects of Space Weather. These data
    are used in combination with the magnetotelluric survey data, and with
    sensors on the power grid to determine the level of geomagnetic
    disturbance due to solar activity. The intensity of geomagnetically
    induced currents in the power grid, pipelines and other structures is
    determined by the intensity of geomagnetic disturbance as it varies in
    time and space, and by its interaction with the electrical properties
    of the Earth's crust and mantle beneath the electric power transmission
    grid.
        The current set of only 7 USGS magnetic observatories in the
    conterminous U.S. is insufficient to accurately represent the true
    level of geomagnetic disturbance in every section of the conterminous
    U.S. electric power transmission grid, its pipeline networks, and in
    other critical infrastructure. The 5 USGS magnetic observatories in
    Alaska serve a similar role in an area of great magnetic field
    variation and intensity related to the auroral zone. The spatial scale
    of those variations throughout the U.S. is smaller than the distance
    between the magnetic observatories. It is necessary to double the
    number of permanent magnetic observatories in the conterminous U.S. in
    order to provide the required fidelity of data to assess and mitigate
    risk to critical infrastructure. It is necessary at a minimum to
    preserve the number of magnetic observatories in Alaska.
        While $1.888 million in the requested appropriation matches last
    year's, this does not reflect a 25 percent cut in this program because
    the U.S. Air Force ended its contributions to this program in 2019. The
    impact on this decision to the USGS Geomagnetism Program is profound.
    Three permanent magnetic observatories are now slated to lose support
    by fiscal year 2020: Magnetic observatories in Fresno, California; Bay
    St Louis, Mississippi, and Shumagin, Alaska. Reduction of the network
    of observatories will very badly impact our ability to assess and
    mitigate risk to critical infrastructure from space weather both in the
    conterminous U.S. and in Alaska.
        By increasing this line to $4.0 million, the three observatories at
    risk will be secured, and the number of observatories in the U.S. can
    be roughly doubled over a few years while catching up on deferred
    maintenance, providing important data to achieve space weather
    resilience goals.

    Subcommittee: Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
    Department: Interior
    Agency: United States Geological Survey
    Account: Natural Hazards
    Program/Activity: Geomagnetism
    Fiscal Year 2020 President's Budget Request: $1,888,000
    My Suggested Request: $4,000,000

        Suggested Language Request: The committee recognizes risks to the
    Nation's electric power transmission network, pipelines, and other
    critical infrastructure from geomagnetic field disturbances. The
    Committee provides $4,000,000 to collect continuous, stable magnetic
    field observations in the conterminous U.S.; to support the existing
    network of such observatories currently operated by the U.S. Geological
    Survey, and to increase the number of such observatories in the United
    States.

    Respectfully submitted,

    Dr. Adam Schultz
    (Professor of Geophysics, Oregon State University)
    Adam.Schultz@oregonstate.edu
                                     ______

               Prepared Statement of the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe
        The Duckwater Shoshone Tribe's requests for the fiscal year 2020
    Indian Health Service (IHS) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
    appropriations are as follows:

      --Assist the Tribe with our reservation expansion plans and self-
            governance project;
      --Increase funding for Community and Economic Development in the BIA
            budget for development of renewable energy, conventional
            energy, and mineral resources;
      --Increase BIA funding for road maintenance;
      --Increase funding to the IHS Hospitals and Clinics line item, and
            direct the IHS to direct additional funding to pharmacy
            programs and physician services;
      --Fund IHS in advance in parity with the Veterans Administration;
      --Permanently reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program for Indians;
      --Continue to fully fund Contract Support Costs for the IHS and BIA;
            and
      --Increase funding for Welfare Assistance in the BIA budget.
    Background
        Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony. The Duckwater
    Shoshone Tribe is a federally recognized Indian Tribe located in a
    remote, high desert valley in the State of Nevada, in the very northern
    tip of Nye County. The Tribe is governed by a democratically elected,
    five-member tribal council and is primarily an agricultural community.
    We offer a range of services to our tribal members, including
    healthcare and natural resources and environmental health programs. The
    Tribe operates a tribal health clinic under a self-governance agreement
    with the Indian Health Service under Title V of the Indian Self-
    Determination and Education Assistance Act.
    Reservation Expansion and Self Governance
        Our reservation has recently been expanded by thirty thousand
    acres. In order to proceed with this project, we have requested the
    Bureau of Land Management, whose funding falls under the jurisdiction
    of this Committee, to complete a survey of the land. Despite repeated
    requests, the Bureau has not completed the survey. Further, for several
    years, the Tribe has been seeking a self-governance contract with BLM,
    and the agency has simply refused to respond to our requests for
    meetings to begin negotiations for our Tribe to assume various BLM
    duties. We ask for any support in ensuring that BLM promptly responds
    to requests for engagement on this issue. The DST has submitted a self-
    governance compact funding proposal to the BLM.
    Development of Renewable Energy, Conventional Energy, and Mineral
            Resources
        We ask that this subcommittee increase funding for the ``Community
    and Economic Development'' activity in the BIA budget, particularly the
    ``Job Placement and Training'' sub activity, which funds technical and
    vocational training, and the ``Minerals and Mining'' sub activity,
    which promotes and provides technical assistance for the development of
    renewable energy, conventional energy, and mineral resources. As a
    rural Tribe, our members have less access to both employment and job
    creation opportunities than other citizens. We also struggle with high
    energy prices. These conditions are two factors hampering our ability
    to thrive as a community and we have been exploring a number of options
    to alleviate them. We have determined that we have viable wind and
    solar energy resources that can be developed to provide our Tribe with
    greater energy certainty, lower energy prices, and economic
    opportunities for our tribal members. If we in Indian Country are to
    build a strong economic future for our communities, we must pursue an
    ``all of the above'' energy strategy which for us, includes wind and
    solar.
    Road Maintenance
        The Tribe requests that Congress substantially increase the
    critically low funding for BIA road maintenance in fiscal year 2020.
    The fiscal year 2019 funding of $35.8 million doesn't begin to cover
    the costs of deferred road maintenance. The Tribe relies on miles of
    unpaved and unsafe roads to reach the distant communities where Tribe
    members work, attend school, and visit family. Due to the Tribe's
    remote location, this is an urgent issue because the limited access to
    and from our reservation caused by the unmaintained and unpaved dirt
    road hampers our economic development and the ability of our members to
    access essential services, employment, education, and to visit family
    living off the reservation. As you know, the roads in Indian Country
    are some of the most dangerous and poorly funded roads in the Nation.
    We consider road maintenance funding to be a matter of public safety
    and we respectfully ask the subcommittee to increase appropriations for
    this critical budget sub-activity. Further, the Tribe would like to
    pave the 21 miles of unpaved, dirt road between our reservations in
    Duckwater, Nevada to the town of Eureka, Nevada in order to make it
    safe. While we understand that road improvement falls outside of the
    purview of this subcommittee, we would appreciate your support in
    increased Department of Transportation funds for such projects.
    Increased IHS Funding For Pharmacy and Physician Services
        The funding the Tribe receives through its Hospitals and Clinics
    funding is simply insufficient to serve the needs of the Tribe's
    pharmacy patients. The Tribe's pharmacy is currently not operating due
    to budget constraints, and the Tribe is forced to refer patients to
    pharmacies in nearby towns. The Tribe previously used its buy back
    authority to procure pharmacy services from the IHS through McKesson,
    but that proved prohibitively expensive.
        Similarly, the Tribe has a similar concern about the funding made
    available through the IHS that the Tribe can then allocate to procuring
    physician services. The Tribe has been experiencing great difficulty
    over the past several fiscal periods in recruiting and retaining
    physicians for carrying out its primary healthcare programs.
        There is just not enough funding for the Tribe to provide necessary
    services and still have adequate funding for pharmaceuticals and to pay
    physicians to locate to our remote area. Further, our costs required to
    provide adequate care to our members have risen by $800,000 that is not
    covered by our IHS funding agreement, and the Tribe also spends
    approximately $250,000 per year to provide healthcare services to
    members living off the reservation. We ask for the subcommittees'
    support for increasing the IHS appropriation for Hospitals and Clinics
    funding, and to direct the IHS to allocate additional funding toward
    pharmacy and physician services.
    Advance Appropriations for IHS
        We appreciate the increased interest some members of Congress have
    shown for providing advance appropriations for IHS and Indian Affairs
    programs. Thank you to Interior Appropriations Ranking Member Udall,
    Representative Don Young, and House Interior Appropriations Chair
    McCollum for introducing, and Rep. David Joyce for co-sponsoring
    legislation to provide advance appropriations for IHS and programs in
    the BIA and BIE. With regard to the IHS programs, they should have
    parity with the Veterans Administration health accounts, which Congress
    had funded in advance since fiscal year 2010. Both IHS and the VA
    provide direct medical care, but they are not treated equally in the
    funding process. Predictability, continuity, and certainty are
    essential for providing stable quality healthcare. When IHS funding is
    subject to a Continuing Resolution, as it has been over many years,
    tribal healthcare providers receive only a portion of annual funding at
    a time, making it particularly difficult to implement long-range
    planning and to effectively use and leverage limited resources. Having
    advance notice of funding levels would greatly aid the Tribe in program
    planning, recruitment and retention of essential healthcare
    professionals in the same way that the VA is able to conduct such
    advance planning. The IHS budget should be afforded the same status
    consideration as VA health programs. Further, IHS appropriations
    should, like VA funds, be exempt from sequestration, should that occur
    again in the future.
    Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI)
        The Tribe, like others throughout Indian Country, continue to
    support permanent reauthorization and increased funding for the SDPI,
    which provides crucial support for diabetes prevention and treatment
    programs. While an SDPI reauthorization bill is not under purview of
    this subcommittee, the SDPI and the programs carried out with SDPI
    funding affect the scope and range of our healthcare efforts and our
    IHS programs, which this subcommittee funds. The Tribe would greatly
    appreciate any help the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee members
    can provide with your colleagues on this matter. A permanent
    reauthorization with mandatory annual funding of $200 million would
    provide stability for our diabetes programs in terms of planning and
    recruiting and retaining personnel.
    Continue Full Funding of Contract Support Costs
        The Tribe appreciates the subcommittees' leadership and commitment
    to fully funding CSC for IHS and BIA ISDEAA agreements. We appreciate
    the full funding of CSC over the past few fiscal years, that the
    funding is indefinite (``such sums as may be necessary'', and that the
    funding is in separate accounts in the IHS and BIA budgets. We request
    that the subcommittees continue to fully fund CSC. Such action is
    crucial to strengthening the ability of tribal governments' to
    successfully exercise their rights and responsibilities as sovereign
    nations.
    Adult Welfare Assistance
        Our tribal members, like other residents of Indian Country and non-
    tribal rural populations, experience higher than average rates of
    unemployment than urban populations. As a Tribe, we are working hard to
    help create opportunities for our Members both in terms of job
    placement and job creation. Unfortunately, there are some circumstance
    when welfare assistance is temporarily needed for some tribal members.
    The ``Welfare Assistance'' sub-activity funded under the ``Human
    Services'' activity in the BIA budget provides these critical resources
    for our people. We, like the BIA and Congress, believe that welfare
    assistance should be a temporary safety net and ultimately, a bridge to
    better circumstances and opportunities, but we believe that it must
    exist. We ask the subcommittees to increase funding for Welfare
    Assistance to strengthen and stabilize families so that they are able
    to pursue job opportunities and ultimately become self-sufficient.
    Conclusion
        The Duckwater Shoshone Tribe appreciates your consideration of our
    requests outlined in this testimony. On behalf of the Tribe, I would be
    happy to provide any other additional information as requested by the
    subcommittee.

        [This statement was submitted by Rodney Mike, Tribal Chairman.]
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the Ecological Society of America
        The Ecological Society of America (ESA) appreciates the opportunity
    to provide testimony in support of fiscal year 2020 appropriations for
    the interagency Joint Fire Science Program. ESA is the Nation's largest
    society of professional ecologists, representing over 9,000 members
    across the country. ESA requests full funding in fiscal year 2020 of
    $16 million for the interagency Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP): $8
    million in funding for the USDA Forest Service JFSP program and $8
    million for the Department of Interior JFSP program to ensure active
    participation from both agencies in prioritizing investment in fire
    research and decision support. Recent years' funding for the JFSP has
    eroded a program with proven great success in supporting practical
    science that reduces fire risk and enhances economic, ecological, and
    social outcomes nationwide.
        As you know, the frequency, severity, and size of fires have
    increased substantially in the continental U.S. since the 1980s, and
    this trend is projected to continue and intensify in the future. The
    risk to communities, the cost of property loss, and the expense to
    cover the damage brought by these fires will consequently also grow.
    Scientific research is critical to understanding and properly
    responding to these wildfires in the most productive and cost effective
    manner possible.
        The JFSP was created by Congress in 1998 as an interagency
    research, development, and applications partnership between the U.S.
    Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The
    program solicits proposals from scientists who compete for funding
    through a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the highest quality
    projects are funded. Over 90 colleges and universities across the
    United States have collaborated or partnered with JFSP-sponsored
    research projects. The JFSP also runs a model program in science
    communication, with very effective efforts to put science in the hands
    of managers and policymakers.
        No other Federal program except the JFSP provides the integration
    of science and management needed to face the challenges that lie ahead-
    we will be living in a world with more fire. Research in fire science
    is crucial to anticipating how ecosystems and landscapes may change in
    the future, how fire should be managed in both wildlands and developed
    areas, and where mitigation or adaptation strategies are most
    appropriate. Reductions in support for JFSP are inconsistent with high-
    priority national research needs.
        We appreciate that the House and Senate Interior and Environment
    Appropriations Committees have made funding for policy-relevant
    wildfire science among your highest priorities. We hope you will
    continue to recognize the critical role the JFSP plays in these efforts
    and fund fully fund the program in fiscal year 2020 for $16 million: $8
    million in funding for the USDA Forest Service JFSP program and $8
    million for the Department of Interior JFSP program.

        [This statement was submitted by Catherine O'Riordan, Executive
    Director.]
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the Ecological Society of America
        The Ecological Society of America (ESA) appreciates the opportunity
    to provide testimony in support of fiscal year 2020 appropriations for
    the Environmental Protection Agency. ESA is the Nation's largest
    society of professional ecologists, representing over 9,000 members
    across the country and would like to make two important
    recommendations. First, we strongly encourage and recommend that
    Congress reach a bipartisan agreement to raise the budget caps for non-
    defense discretionary spending. Additionally, we urge you to support
    robust funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for fiscal
    year 2020, specifically at least $746 million for Science and
    Technology within EPA.
        We appreciate your past support for the EPA and your preservation
    of the agency's budget for fiscal year 2019. We urge you to once again
    reject cuts to EPA programs and research as you proceed with fiscal
    year 2020 appropriations.
        The EPA is vital to protecting both the environment and human
    health, and the agency's Science and Technology programs are critically
    important to its ability to successfully address environmental
    problems. Without adequate funding, the EPA cannot fulfill its core
    mission and responsibilities. Strong investments in the EPA are thus
    essential to ensuring the health of our Nation's citizens and
    environment.
     epa science and technology programs reduce environmental risks facing
                                   americans
        Since its formation in 1970, the EPA has reduced environmental risk
    to Americans, enforced laws safeguarding human health and the
    environment, and helped the Nation serve as a leader in protecting the
    environment.
        Science and Technology funding supports programs and research that
    contribute to clean air, clean water, sustainable communities, homeland
    security, and human health. Through the Office of Research and
    Development (ORD), the EPA conducts cutting-edge research programs,
    including important ecological research and monitoring, that provide
    the scientific foundation for the agency's decisionmaking and other
    programs. These research and monitoring programs also provide essential
    data and information on which State and local governments depend, with
    environmental monitoring data collected and maintained by the EPA
    helping to ensure healthy communities across the country. EPA research
    projects focus on issues of national significance and help to solve
    complex environmental problems--often with public health implications--
    with new scientific understanding and technologies. From detecting and
    addressing harmful algal blooms to helping communities rehabilitate
    contaminated sites, EPA research funded by Science and Technology
    appropriations delivers solution-oriented results with broad and
    lasting impacts.
       proposed cuts would have consequences for human and environmental
                                     health
        ESA is very concerned with the administration's proposed cuts to
    the EPA in fiscal year 2020. The President's budget proposal requests
    only $6.1 billion for the agency, an estimated reduction of 31 percent
    from enacted fiscal year 2019 funding of $8.1 billion. The proposed
    reductions, reflective of those suggested in the President's fiscal
    year 2019 budget, would have far-reaching and damaging effects on
    public and environmental health and economic growth that depends on
    healthy communities.
        The administration's budget also proposes to reduce funding for EPA
    Science and Technology considerably to only $463 million, a 35 percent
    cut from fiscal year 2019 funding. Sound science is the foundation of
    everything the agency does. EPA research programs support clean air,
    healthy neighborhoods, safer chemicals, and clean water, and it helps
    develop solutions to environmental problems. EPA science meets the
    highest standards for peer review, transparency, ethics, and integrity,
    and it is essential to maintain strong support for science and research
    at the EPA. Cuts, particularly cuts of the magnitude proposed in the
    President's budget, would dangerously hinder the EPA's ability to
    fulfill its mission and responsibility to the American people and would
    have serious impacts on the local, State, and national levels.
     strong investments in the epa protect our citizens and our ecosystems
        The EPA is an essential agency that plays a key role in addressing
    ecological problems and other environmental issues that affect public
    health. We appreciate your past support for this critical agency, and
    we urge you, in the interest of ensuring the health of our Nation's
    citizens and ecosystems, to continue this support and provide robust
    funding for the EPA in fiscal year 2020, in particular $746 million for
    EPA Science and Technology.
        Thank you for your consideration of this request.

        [This statement was submitted by Catherine O'Riordan, Executive
    Director.]
                                     ______

           Prepared Statement of the Entomological Society of America
        The Entomological Society of America (ESA) respectfully submits
    this statement for the official record in support of funding for
    entomology-related activities at the U.S. Environmental Protection
    Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service,
    and the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI). For fiscal year 2020, ESA
    recommends $8.267 billion for EPA, including support for Pesticides
    Licensing Program Area activities within its Science & Technology and
    Environmental Program & Management budgets, and continued support for
    State & Tribal Assistance Grants for Pesticide Program Implementation.
    ESA strongly supports EPA's commitment to work with other Federal
    agencies to monitor and improve pollinator health, including
    involvement by EPA to examine the potential impact of pesticides on
    pollinator health. In addition, ESA requests the Forest Service be
    funded at least at the fiscal year 2019 enacted level of $6.087 billion
    in discretionary funds. Within the Forest Service, ESA requests the
    Forest and Rangeland Research budget be supported at the fiscal year
    2019 enacted level of $300 million to preserve valuable invasive
    species research and development. The Society also supports continued
    investment in Forest Health Management programs across the Forest
    Service in fiscal year 2020. ESA also recommends that DOI continue to
    support the important work of the National Invasive Species Council
    (NISC), which coordinates efforts across agencies to respond to the
    threats posed by invasive species, to be funded at no less than the
    fiscal year 2018 level of $1.202 million.
        Advances in forestry and environmental sciences, including the
    field of entomology, help to protect our ecosystems and communities
    from threats impacting our Nation's economy, public health, and
    agricultural productivity and safety. Through improved understanding of
    invasive insect pests and the development of biological approaches to
    pest management, entomology plays a critical role in reducing and
    preventing the spread of infestation and diseases harmful to national
    forests and grasslands. The study of entomology also contributes to the
    development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, which use
    science-based, environmentally conscious, comprehensive methods to take
    effective management action against pests, often resulting in lower
    costs and a more targeted use of pesticides. In addition, entomology
    improves our knowledge of pollinators and the factors affecting
    pollinator health and populations, helping to ensure safe, reliable
    crop production that meets the needs of a growing world population.
        EPA carries out its mission of protecting human health and the
    environment by developing and enforcing regulations, awarding grants
    for research and other projects, conducting studies on environmental
    issues, facilitating partnerships, and providing information through
    public outreach. Through these efforts, EPA strives to ensure that our
    Nation enjoys clean water, clean air, a safe food supply, and
    communities free from pollution and harmful exposures to chemicals.
        EPA's Pesticides Licensing Program Area, supported by EPA's Science
    & Technology and Environmental Program & Management budgets, serves to
    evaluate and regulate new pesticides to ensure safe and proper usage by
    consumers. Through the mandate of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
    and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA uses scientific expertise and data,
    including knowledge gained from entomological sciences, to set maximum
    tolerated residue levels and to register pesticide products as
    effective and safe. By controlling insects that act as vectors of
    diseases of humans and domesticated animals, and invasive insect
    species that endanger our environment, pesticides registered by EPA
    help protect public health and the Nation's food supply.
        EPA's activities in this area also include the development of
    educational information and outreach to encourage the use of IPM, a
    scientific approach to reducing pest populations by incorporating a
    variety of techniques, and other reduced-risk methods of managing
    pests. The funding that EPA allocates towards IPM in schools is
    important to lower the risks of students to pest management tactics and
    the pests that are harmful to their health or development. Schools can
    be vulnerable to pest problems because of their size, design and
    maintenance of green space. The integrated approach to pest problems
    focuses on prevention, which is advantageous because it reduces the
    probability of infestation, and is economical, sometimes saving school
    districts thousands of dollars per year. However, little is known about
    the current status of many schools and the degree to which they
    implement IPM practices. Results from a 2014 survey published last year
    in the Journal of School Health found that about 55 percent of schools
    in the US conducted IPM practices.\1\ The largest schools were the most
    likely to have robust programs, where they notified staff, students and
    families before applications. However, despite the resources and guides
    from the EPA about IPM in schools, there is a need for funding to
    better ensure a wider adoption and reporting of these practices.
    Therefore, ESA supports continuing the activities in the Pesticides
    Licensing Program Area as well as the modest funding that EPA has
    invested in school IPM.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Everett Jones, S., & Glick, S. (2018). School Factors
    Associated with the Implementation of Integrated Pest Management-
    Related Policies and Practices. Journal of School Health, 88(9), 669-
    675.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Among EPA's State & Tribal Assistance Grants, categorical grants in
    the area of Pesticides Program Implementation help to facilitate the
    translation of national pesticide regulatory information into real-
    world approaches that work for local communities. For example, these
    grants fund efforts to reduce health and environmental risks associated
    with pesticide use by promoting, facilitating, and evaluating IPM
    techniques and other potentially safer alternatives to conventional
    pest control methods. ESA requests that the subcommittee support a
    modest increase for Pesticides Program Implementation grants in fiscal
    year 2020.
        ESA is in favor of increased funding for scientifically based
    studies of pollinator populations and health. Pollinators play a vital
    role in our Nation's agriculture industry; for example, honey bees
    alone pollinate more than 90 crops in the U.S. and are essential for
    the production of an estimated one-third of all the food we eat or
    export, contributing over $17 billion in annual crop and seed
    production in the U.S. alone. To ensure a healthy bee population, more
    research is needed to fully understand the diverse factors that
    endanger bee health. Pesticides represent just one potential risk to
    bees, but both the risks and benefits must be balanced, and those risks
    and benefits will vary among different crops and different crop-
    producing regions of the US. EPA is well-positioned to help identify
    methods for protecting bee health; the agency has previously awarded
    agricultural grants to three universities to aid in the development of
    IPM practices that lower pesticide risks to bees while protecting
    valuable crops from pests. For this reason, ESA supports EPA's
    participation in multi-agency efforts to investigate pollinator health
    and implementing plans to prevent pollinator population decline.
        The U.S. Forest Service sustains the health, diversity, and
    productivity of 193 million acres of public lands in national forests
    and grasslands across 44 States and territories. Serving as the largest
    supporter of forestry research in the world, the agency employs
    approximately 30,000 scientists, administrators, and land managers. In
    addition to activities at the Federal level, the Forest Service
    provides technical expertise and financial assistance to State and
    private forestry agency partners.
        The Forest Service's Forest and Rangeland Research budget supports
    the development and delivery of scientific data and innovative
    technological tools to improve the health, use, and management of the
    Nation's forests and rangelands. Within Forest and Rangeland Research,
    the Invasive Species Strategic Program Area provides scientifically
    based approaches to reduce and prevent the introduction, spread, and
    impact of non-native invasive species, including destructive insects,
    plants, and diseases that can have serious economic and environmental
    consequences for our Nation. For example, Forest Service scientists are
    working to prevent the devastation of ash trees across North America by
    the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that was accidentally
    introduced from Asia. Emerald ash borer was first detected in 2002 and,
    since then, has killed millions of ash trees. This biological invasion
    threatens to eliminate all ash trees from North America and is the
    costliest invasion from a forest insect to date. Emerald ash borer is
    just one on the exponentially growing list of invasive insects and
    diseases that harm our Nation's forests and our Nation's economy.
    Forest health is also affected by invasive weeds, and those weeds are
    often best controlled by beneficial insects used as biological control
    agents, resulting in permanent and often spectacular control. ESA
    respectfully requests that Forest and Rangeland Research be fully
    funded at $297 million for fiscal year 2020.
        Also under the purview of the Forest Service is the Forest Health
    Management program, which conducts mapping and surveys on public and
    private lands to monitor and assess risks from potentially harmful
    insects, diseases, and invasive plants. The program also provides
    assistance to State and local partners to help prevent and control
    outbreaks that threaten forest health. According to a 2011 study,
    invasive forest insects cost local governments alone an average of over
    $2 billion per year; direct costs to homeowners from property loss,
    tree removal, and treatment averages $1.5 billion per year.\2\
    Initiatives within the Forest Health Management program can help
    control these costly pests. The program's ``Slow the Spread''
    activities, for example, have led to a 60 percent reduction in the rate
    of the spread of the gypsy moth, another invasive species, resulting in
    an estimated benefit-to-cost ratio of 3:1. Without the program, it is
    estimated that 50 million additional acres would have been infested by
    the moth.\3\ To support these important functions, ESA requests that
    the subcommittee oppose any proposed cuts to Forest Health Management
    program in fiscal year 2020.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ Aukema, J.E.; Leung, B.; Kovacs, K.; [et al.]. 2011. Economic
    impacts of non-native forest insects in the continental United States.
    PLoS ONE 6(9): e24587.
        \3\ Forest Service Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Overview: http://
    www.fs.fed.us/sites/default/files/FY-2017-FS%20-budget-overview.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect pest from Asia that was
    first reported in the United States in 2014. It has become established
    (meaning it has been identified in all stages of its life cycle) in
    Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, and, most recently, Delaware. Its
    ability to disperse over broad geographic areas presents a particularly
    challenging problem to growers and homeowners, as does its unusually
    broad host range, as it has been recorded feeding on more than 70
    plants, including commercial crops such as hops, grapes, apples, and
    cherries. In addition to damage caused directly by feeding, the spotted
    lanternfly inflicts indirect damage via coating plants and other
    surfaces in ``honeydew'' (urine), which encourages the growth of mold
    and fungi. Preliminary studies indicate that it is a serious threat to
    agriculture and forest ecosystem health in the U.S., poised to destroy
    an estimated $18 billion worth of crops in Pennsylvania alone. Studies
    like this demonstrate the need for continued and robust support for the
    interagency coordination advanced by the National Invasive Species
    Council (NISC). As such, ESA requests that NISC be funded at no less
    than the fiscal year 2018 level.
        ESA, headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, is the largest
    organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs
    of entomologists and individuals in related disciplines. Founded in
    1889, ESA has more than 7,000 members affiliated with educational
    institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government.
    Members are researchers, teachers, extension service personnel,
    administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians,
    consultants, students, pest management professionals, and hobbyists.
        Thank you for the opportunity to offer the Entomological Society of
    America's support for Forest Service and EPA programs. For more
    information about the Entomological Society of America, please see
    http://www.entsoc.org/.

        [This statement was submitted by Robert K.D. Peterson, PhD,
    President.]
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the Environmental Council of the States
    Dear Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall and Members of the
    subcommittee:

        The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) is the national
    nonprofit, nonpartisan association of State and territorial
    environmental agency leaders. We, its undersigned Officers, submit this
    testimony on fiscal year 2020 appropriations for the U.S. Environmental
    Protection Agency (EPA).
        State environmental agencies are the engines of environmental
    progress in our Nation. Under America's system of cooperative
    Federalism, agencies like ours normally take the lead in implementing
    Federal environmental laws like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act,
    Safe Drinking Water Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
    Today, States exercise over 90 percent of the delegable authorities
    under these and other Federal laws. You can learn more about the
    tangible progress the States have delivered on our ECOS Results data
    visualization portal.
        State environmental agencies depend on Federal funding to do their
    work; ECOS has documented that the Federal Government provides, on
    average, 27 percent of our agencies' budgets. The U.S. Congress
    included provisions in the CWA, CAA, RCRA, and SDWA to provide
    assistance to States to operate these Federal programs primarily
    through State and Tribal assistance grants (STAG). Without adequate
    Federal funding support, State agencies find it more challenging to
    properly administer Federal environmental laws, improve public health,
    and protect the environment. ECOS therefore asks that fiscal year 2020
    appropriations provide sustained support to programs that advance the
    well-being of our communities.
        Please consider these principles as you deliberate about the fiscal
    year 2020 appropriations. Please also consider the following specific
    requests:
         increase state and tribal assistance (stag) categorical grants
        STAG categorical grants fund a huge range of work by State
    environmental agencies. Much of that work is core implementation
    activity such as issuing environmental permits, inspecting facilities
    and enforcing the law, setting standards, and managing data. But
    categorical grants, including those that support voluntary and
    community-based programs, also fund creative solutions to local
    problems.
        For example, STAG funds issued under Section 319 of the Clean Water
    Act recently helped Wyoming's Department of Environmental Quality
    (WDEQ) partner with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and various other
    private and public stakeholders in Northwest Wyoming to improve the
    Grass Creek/Cottonwood Creek watershed. Historic grazing practices in
    this area had contributed to degraded rangeland and stream conditions,
    until the partnership led by TNC installed best management practices
    with area ranchers and other stakeholders. Data collected by TNC over
    the course of the project suggest marked decreases in nitrogen and
    phosphorous, as well as decreased streambank erosion and increases in
    desirable riparian and rangeland vegetation. In 2018 this project was
    added to U.S. EPA's Nonpoint Source Success Stories, and also in 2018,
    Wyoming DEQ used its Section 319 funds to initiate nine similar
    projects.
        STAG categorical grants also help our agencies take on larger
    projects that deliver positive economic benefits for communities. For
    example, downtown Nashville, TN is home to ``The Gulch,'' a former rail
    yard which decades of neglect turned into a blighted neighborhood. Due
    to the use of Voluntary Brownfields Agreements the Tennessee Department
    of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) was able to leverage and expand
    private investment into the neighborhood and ensure a faster and more
    thorough redevelopment process. The Gulch is now a vibrant, LEED-
    certified mixed-use neighborhood and a popular local destination for
    shopping, dining, and entertainment, yielding significant new tax
    revenue.
        STAG support is critical to the continued creativity and vitality
    of State-led environmental regulation. States therefore thank Congress
    for preserving STAG categorical grants over the past three fiscal
    years, and ask that Congress further support the program in the fiscal
    year 2020 budget.
    continue funding environmental infrastructure via state revolving funds
        STAG funds also support State-level investments in the
    infrastructure that provides our citizens safe drinking water and a
    clean aquatic environment. Much of that infrastructure is aging or
    inadequate and the States therefore depend on the funding that Congress
    provides through the STAG State Revolving Fund (SRF) program. Congress
    recently reemphasized its support for State water infrastructure with a
    second consecutive year of supplemental funding through Title IV of the
    fiscal year 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act, but there is still
    more to be done. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that
    our Nation faces more than $271 billion in wastewater infrastructure
    needs. The situation is even more staggering on the drinking water
    side, where the U.S. EPA's most recent assessment cites a $472.6
    billion need for infrastructure investments.
        These figures show that the already extensive infrastructure needs
    continue to grow along with our populations and the advancing age of
    our existing facilities. ECOS has documented these needs in reports
    such as our State Water and Wastewater Project Inventory, which
    describes the top 20 ``shovel-ready'' water and wastewater projects in
    each State. States have also shown the impact of these projects on
    water quality, and have demonstrated creative infrastructure solutions.
    In late 2018, West Virginia DEQ became the first State in its region to
    obligate its fiscal year 2018 Clean Water SRF money: $50 million that
    will go to restore and upgrade wastewater and stormwater infrastructure
    and extend sewer service to two previously unserved areas. On the
    drinking water side, Alaska and Connecticut recently set up micro-loan
    programs with specially streamlined requirements to expand SRF loan
    access to the smallest of public water systems. In Alaska these small
    systems are commonly found in remote native Alaskan villages, and since
    small systems have not typically had SRF access these new micro-loans
    will have an even greater proportionate positive effect on public
    health. Congress should continue funding projects like these so that
    States can continue to serve as important sources of revolving funding
    to modernize local communities.
                  preserve the stag multipurpose grant program
        Under cooperative Federalism, States gain the authority to allocate
    Federal resources in ways that reflect local needs and priorities.
    State agencies cannot deliver on this promise unless Congress ensures
    flexibility in Federal funding. Funding flexibility also streamlines
    joint decisionmaking by EPA and States, and ultimately allows States to
    more quickly convert Federal dollars into positive environmental and
    public health results.
        States used 2016 Multipurpose Grant money to fund activities
    ranging from implementing the National Ambient Air Quality Standards to
    improving electronic data management systems, and to control everything
    from water pollution to pesticide overuse. ECOS understands that the
    fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019 funds will be obligated to States
    in tandem, meaning that a large investment in priority State programs
    is on the horizon. States are appreciative that Congress established
    this program in 2016, and we urge you to appropriate a third
    consecutive year of Multipurpose Grant funds in fiscal year 2020.
    Making this grant program a dependable funding stream would allow
    States to deploy that money in ways that maximize the long-term benefit
    to their citizens.
                 avoid rescission and impoundment of stag funds
        States work closely with EPA through ECOS' State Grants Subgroup to
    speed the distribution of Federal funds and allow on-the-ground work to
    begin sooner. Our experiences lead us to urge Congress not to include
    rescissions of unobligated STAG funds in future enacted budgets, as
    this often results in uncertainty and delays in obligating pass-through
    funding. For the same reason, States ask Congress to discourage
    impoundment of enacted appropriations.
                  fully fund increased state responsibilities
        During the past several years, States and U.S. EPA have done
    considerable evaluation and alteration to the State-Federal division of
    responsibility for environmental regulatory programs. ECOS has
    facilitated many of the high-level discussions about this topic through
    our work on Cooperative Federalism, and many of these conversations
    have been oriented toward shifted responsibility from U.S. EPA toward
    the States. States believe that Federal funds are essential to our
    ability to maintain the critical resources for many of these additional
    responsibilities.
        States are also largely carrying out the responsibilities over air
    quality monitoring, State research, and other program implementation
    activities. These activities, which are now performed by the States,
    are important to be carried out consistently to assure adequate public
    protection remains. These efforts could be negatively impacted by the
    proposed shift of STAG categorical grant funds for particulate air
    quality programs from Clean Air Act (CAA) Sec. 103 grants, which do not
    require a State funding match, to CAA Sec. 105 grants which require a
    40 percent State match or Maintenance of Effort (MOE). This change
    would likely amount to reduced levels of effort or inconsistency among
    States in monitoring networks if these Federal funds are not
    maintained.
        States' regulatory workloads increase gradually year-by-year, and
    most STAG categorical grant programs have been flat-funded for several
    years in a row. This, too, has the effect of an increase in State
    program responsibilities without a proportional increase in Federal
    support. As mentioned in the introduction, States rely heavily on
    Federal funding and even peripheral decreases in this funding can
    adversely impact State programs. We ask, therefore, that Congress
    account for increasing State implementation costs in Federal funding
    levels and push back against the proposed CAA Sec. 103-Sec. 105 funding
    shift, and similar policy changes at States' expense.
                                   conclusion
        ECOS thanks you for considering the views of State environmental
    agencies as you prepare the fiscal year 2020 budget. We would welcome
    any further discussion with you about these issues and how Federal
    funding can support State-level work to protect human health and the
    environment. Please email our executive director at dwelsh@ecos.org, or
    send mail to 1250 H Street NW, Suite 850, Washington D.C. 20005.

    Becky Keogh, Director, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
    ECOS President

    Jim Macy, Director, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
    ECOS Vice President

    Patrick McDonnell, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
      Protection
    ECOS Secretary-Treasurer

    Todd Parfitt, Director, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
    ECOS Past President
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the Federation of State Humanities Councils
        Madam Chairwoman and members of the subcommittee, I thank you for
    this opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of the State humanities
    councils, the State affiliates of the National Endowment for the
    Humanities, requesting $167.5 million for the National Endowment for
    the Humanities and $53 million for the Federal/State Partnership for
    fiscal year 2020.
        As partners of the NEH, the State humanities councils receive their
    core funding through the Federal/State Partnership line of the NEH
    budget, which they use to leverage additional support from foundations,
    corporations, private individuals, and State governments. In the past
    year, councils leveraged, on average, $4.00 in local contributions for
    every dollar of Federal funding awarded through their grants, and they
    have further extended their resources in recent years by forming
    partnerships with nearly 9,000 organizations throughout their States.
    But demand continues to increase. In the past few years, councils
    continue to be asked to expand their programs to reach new populations
    and meet growing needs in their States.
        The State councils are the local face of the humanities, developing
    and delivering the programs that address the issues of greatest concern
    to their communities, helping them explore their history and culture,
    and sharing the stories of our many diverse populations. The councils
    are also a major source of grants to local educational, cultural, and
    historical organizations for public programming in places where a small
    grant of several hundred to a few thousand dollars can make an enormous
    difference in the life of a community.
        It is to meet the growing need for programs with such impact on our
    communities and Nation that we are requesting funding at the levels of
    $165.7 million for the NEH and $53 million for the councils. The
    councils are stretched thin in their ability to meet local needs and
    support and collaborate with local businesses, cultural organizations,
    schools, libraries, museums, and many other groups seeking to better
    the lives of those in their communities. Councils must make difficult
    decisions in how to allocate scarce resources among the many legitimate
    demands presented from a wide range of deserving populations.
    Fortunately, councils are also expert at using the Federal funds to
    attract other funding, and the increase in core Federal funding will
    also enhance their ability to seek those additional funds.
        It is not just current demands that drive this request. The State
    councils see a plethora of new program possibilities, including a
    special opportunity to explore our country's history and system of
    government. In 2026, the Nation will commemorate the 250th anniversary
    of the Declaration of Independence, which offers an opportunity to
    reexamine the many diverse voices and forces that shaped our Nation and
    to engage in an expanded civics education program for Americans of all
    ages. Surveys reveal a shocking ignorance of history and a lack of
    awareness among both school age children and adults of the structure
    and processes of government and the ideals and philosophies that
    underlie them. The next 5 years can be a time when we rededicate
    ourselves to improving our collective understanding and reinvigorating
    our ability to work through differences.
        The State humanities councils are uniquely positioned to pursue
    activities that offer education about our founding principles while
    speaking to the interests and concerns of individual communities.
    Further, the councils have a track record of collaborating with diverse
    partners to broaden impact and extend resources well beyond the initial
    investment. The councils also have a unique ability to reach all
    corners of their States. This has been effectively demonstrated in the
    25-year council collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution
    Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in the Museum on Main Street
    program and in the recent national initiative commemorating the 100th
    anniversary of the Pulitzer Prizes. We must begin now to build the
    community relationships and develop the programs that will make
    commemoration of the 2026 anniversary a meaningful national event.
        Throughout their history, State humanities councils have shown
    themselves to be innovative, collaborative, efficient, and resourceful
    organizations, strongly connected to the communities in their States
    and highly responsive to their needs. The following examples highlight
    a few areas where councils have a particularly strong record of
    service.
        Serving Veterans. The importance of the council programs involving
    returning veterans is reflected in a comment from Pulitzer Prize-
    winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen, who noted in an interview at a
    council-sponsored event, ``All wars are fought twice, the first time on
    the battlefield, the second time in memory.'' A number of councils
    conduct programs to educate the public about the consequences of war,
    while also helping veterans reintegrate into their communities in the
    aftermath of their service.
        In 2014 the Maine Humanities Council developed a Veterans Book
    Group, as one of several projects created under the NEH Standing
    Together initiative. The council piloted the program in 12 States
    including California, Maryland, Oregon, and Vermont. The reading
    groups, all co-facilitated by a veteran, provide a space to connect
    with other veterans by exploring ideas found in selected poetry and
    works of fiction and non-fiction, both ancient and modern.
        Since 2015, Maryland Humanities has supported the Veterans' Oral
    History Project, through which students at a high school in Anne
    Arundel County have conducted oral history interviews with Vietnam War
    veterans and Vietnamese immigrants who experienced the war. The
    students receive training in oral history techniques, and transcripts
    and videos of the interviews are accessible online at the Maryland
    State Archives website. The Missouri Humanities Council works in
    partnership with libraries and veteran support organizations throughout
    the State to conduct writing workshops for veterans, which empower
    veterans to share their stories, thoughts, and experiences through the
    written word. The workshops are free of charge and conducted by
    professional writers.
        Exploring Native American History and Culture. In May 2017, members
    of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee heard testimony from
    Valorie Walters, executive officer for the Division of the Chickasaw
    Cultural Center of the Chickasaw Nation, and board member of Oklahoma
    Humanities. Her testimony not only reflected on the Native American
    story that is ``so fundamental to understanding the history of the
    Nation as a whole,'' but also demonstrated the scope of programs,
    including a symposium, an exhibit, a language festival, a documentary
    film, and several other educational programs in Oklahoma. The programs
    she described were just one council's examples of comparable programs
    that continue to receive support throughout the country. The aims of
    these programs are to work with American Indian populations to increase
    public awareness and appreciation of their enduring role in our
    history, to forge stronger bonds between native and non-native
    populations, and to support language preservation initiatives. The
    Alaska Humanities Forum's program, ``Take Wing Alaska,'' for example,
    focuses on Native Alaskan high school students, placing them in three
    immersion experiences to guide them to focus not only on academic
    skills but also inherent cultural strengths they can refer to and draw
    on in the midst of a challenging life shift.
        Humanities Montana, through its Tribal Partnership Initiative,
    supports humanities projects on the Blackfeet, Flathead, Rocky Boy,
    Fort Belknap, Fort Peck, Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations, as
    well as the Little Shell Nation, with up to $5,000 in funding annually.
    The projects are a result of informal relationships rather than
    conventional grant-driven processes. The council forms up to three
    partnerships each year, anchored in the expressed needs and aspirations
    of the Tribal nations.
        Engaging Rural America. From the beginning, State humanities
    councils have been dedicated to ensuring that rural areas have access
    to high-quality public humanities programs. One means of accomplishing
    this has been through the highly successful Museum on Main Street
    program, a 25-year partnership between the councils and the Smithsonian
    Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), specifically designed
    to serve small rural communities. Smithsonian exhibits are refabricated
    as lightweight, portable traveling exhibits, suitable for display in
    small settings such as local libraries, museums, and community centers.
    Participating councils select six communities of less than 20,000 in
    their States to host the exhibit. Councils and scholars work with a
    local planning group in each community to develop a wide variety of
    humanities programs around the theme of the exhibit.
        These exhibits cover a wide range of issues important to the
    communities, including, in recent years, work in America, hometown
    sports, foodways, and migration stories, among others. Maryland
    Humanities and the Mississippi Humanities council are currently touring
    ``Water/Ways,'' which explores the economic, spiritual, cultural, and
    historic significance of water in our society. ``Hometown Teams,''
    currently being toured by the Florida Humanities Council, looks at the
    role that sports play in American society and especially in small towns
    across the country. ``Crossroads: Change in Rural America,'' which
    offers small towns a chance to examine their own paths and to highlight
    the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century, will be
    on tour in Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee in 2019 and 2020.
        Councils also engage rural populations through a variety of other
    programs. Humanities Montana's ``Hometown Humanities'' program, for
    example, brings a year's worth of humanities-based programming to a
    rural Montana community. Community members choose upwards of 30
    cultural programs from Humanities Montana's catalog of offerings--
    public speakers, speakers in the schools, community discussions and
    more. The 2019 Hometown Humanities community, Red Lodge, Montana,
    population 2,300, will enjoy a series of programs including a writing
    workshop, several speakers bureau programs, storytelling, and community
    discussions.
        Promoting Literacy and Reading. The humanities are all about
    reading, exploring ideas, and strengthening our connections to one
    another, and this is nowhere more important than within our families.
    Family literacy and reading programs have been signature offerings by
    councils for decades, arising from the belief that parents and children
    not only gain knowledge and improve reading skills but also build
    stronger bonds with each other when given opportunities to discuss
    ideas together. The Prime Time program, developed more than two decades
    ago by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and offered by a
    number of humanities councils, engages low-income families in
    discussion of high-quality children's literature to improve the reading
    skills of parents and increase school readiness for at-risk children.
    During a 6-week period, children and parents in this program gather in
    schools and libraries to hear stories from a skilled storyteller and
    then discuss the book's ethical and cultural themes with the help of a
    scholar. The program is also available in a bilingual format.
        Kentucky Humanities, which has conducted the program for several
    years, just received a grant from the National Endowment for the
    Humanities to expand the program directly into public schools around
    Kentucky. The Mississippi Humanities Council also offers Prime Time, in
    addition to Luciernagas, a bilingual family reading program, which
    serves the increasing number of Spanish speakers in the State.
        Supporting the Cultural Infrastructure. One of the hallmarks of the
    State humanities councils is their connection to and support for the
    communities in their States. They work hard to strengthen the resources
    that make these communities vibrant places to live. This includes
    supporting activities, such as book festivals and local commemorations,
    which bring people and resources into a community. Cultural tourism has
    benefitted from the creation of State encyclopedias, audio tours, and
    other materials designed to draw visitors to a specific area.
        It also includes supporting local institutions that are the
    lifeblood of a community, such as libraries and museums. California
    Humanities demonstrates this with their Library Innovation Lab, which
    builds capacity within California libraries to develop creative and
    innovative programs, which respond to local needs. In particular, the
    program continues the legacy of welcoming newcomers, especially
    immigrants and immigrant populations, fostering more inclusive
    communities throughout the State. The Rhode Island Council for the
    Humanities, in partnership with the Rhode Island Foundation and the
    Rhode Island Council on the Arts, supports the Rhode Island Expansion
    Arts Program, which provides funding and organizational assistance to
    community-based culturally diverse arts and cultural organizations. The
    program provides skills and tools that the organizations, especially
    newly emerging groups, require to grow as equal partners in the Rhode
    Island arts and cultural community.
        The programs discussed in this brief space are merely illustrative.
    They represent hundreds of programs in communities large and small in
    every corner of this Nation where residents gather to learn about the
    history of their communities and their Nation; to hear previously
    untold stories; to read and discuss books that expand their empathy and
    understanding; to examine difficult ethical issues; and to inform
    themselves in ways that make them more responsible citizens. The State
    councils are well-positioned to effectively put to use the $53 million
    we are requesting through the Federal/State Partnership.
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
        On behalf of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, we
    submit this testimony to urge Congress to increase, or, at the very
    least preserve, the Federal funding levels for Indians programs that
    are provided through the Interior Department, Indian Health Service and
    Environmental Protection Agency.
        It is essential to keep in mind that the problems that face
    communities nationwide are far more severe for Indian communities, with
    Tribes having far fewer resources to address those problems. An example
    is the opioid epidemic. Native Americans in Minnesota are far more
    likely to die from an overdose than white Minnesotans. For example,
    ``[f]rom 2010 to 2016, the American Indian mortality rate more than
    doubled from 29.0 per 100,000 to 64.6 per 100,000 (123 percent
    increase), and was almost six times as high as the white mortality
    rate.'' \1\ The opioid epidemic creates other adverse impacts for
    Indian communities. It means that our children are ``7.4 times more
    likely to be born with neonatal abstinence syndrome'' which requires
    specialized treatment and care.\2\ It increases demands on our social
    service programs for addiction treatment and counseling, and assistance
    to growing numbers of at-risk families, with more children in foster
    care or the subject of CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection or Services)
    proceedings, an increase of 65 percent since 2015. It increases demands
    on our school to address the unique needs of children living in at-risk
    homes. And it increases the demands on our law enforcement who respond
    to ever-growing numbers of incidents that are drug related.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/opioids/documents/
    raceratedisparity.pdf.
        \2\ ``Minnesota State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis'' at 6
    (2017), found at https://mn.gov.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        With seed money from Federal funds, we have implemented innovative
    programs and measures to provide health, education, social services,
    public safety and other governmental services to our 4,200 members and
    the more than 7,300 Indian people who live on and near our Reservation.
    Fond du Lac built the first-of-its-kind supportive housing programs in
    Indian country, and the first such supportive housing for Veterans. We
    have undertaken to implement best practices in healthcare. In so doing,
    we have found that an important element to the success of these
    programs is building on our traditional cultural practices. We are
    active in natural resource management and environmental protection so
    our water is safe to drink, fish are safe to eat, wild rice re-
    generates, game is plentiful, and natural resources remain available
    for cultural and religious practices that are central to our identity.
        We are proud of what we have accomplished, but more remains to be
    done. The investment of Federal funds is key to that effort. It allows
    us to use Band resources and attract private partners so we can provide
    jobs, grow the local economy, educate our children, prevent crime, and
    care for our elders and infirm. We urge Congress to continue to fund
    these programs.
                             indian health service
        We appreciate Congress's decision to increase funding for IHS in
    fiscal year 2019, which is essential to address the substantial unmet
    need for healthcare among Indian people. Indians at Fond du Lac, like
    Indians throughout the Nation, continue to face severe disparities
    across a broad range of health issues. In addition to the
    extraordinarily high mortality rates due to the opioid epidemic,
    Indians in Minnesota are far more likely to die prematurely than all
    others in the State, and suffer from the highest mortality rates for
    causes of death due to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, suicide, and
    unintentional injury.\3\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ See Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Equity,
    Populations of Color: Update Birth and Death Statistics (December
    2015). https://seedsofnativehealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/
    Populations-of-Color-Health-Update-Birth-and-Death-Statistics.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        We serve over 7,300 Indian people at our clinics, but the current
    funding level meets only 33 percent of our healthcare funding needs. To
    make progress in reducing the disparities in Indian health, we urge
    Congress to continue to increase funding for IHS. We urge an increase
    for fiscal year 2020 in order to fully fund IHS programs, with the top
    priorities given to Hospitals & Health Clinics; Purchased/Referred
    Care; Mental Health; Alcohol & Substance Abuse; and Dental Health.
    Expanded resources for treatment and community education capacity are
    especially needed to combat the epidemic of drug abuse.
        We also ask that Congress continue to increase funding for IHS
    Facilities, including Sanitation Facilities Construction. We rely on
    wells for drinking water, but the quality of the source water on our
    Reservation is very poor. It generally cannot be used unless treated,
    and where the source water is really poor quality, treatment may leave
    an unacceptable level of by-products that also fail to meet water
    quality standards. We face this problem now in one of our communities,
    affecting 54 homes and a community center. As a short-term solution, we
    are providing point-of-use filters. But to eliminate the problem, we
    need to drill several new wells to access better quality source water,
    but which will still need to be treated. We will also need to build a
    new water treatment facility, along with a water tower and new
    pipelines to establish redundancy in the system to protect users and to
    aid in fire protection. The cost is expected to be $2.5 million, but
    the very limited funds for capital work provided to IHS is not
    sufficient to meet the need. In our region, IHS has $1.7 million to
    serve 37 Tribes. Federal appropriations for other potential funding
    sources for drinking water infrastructure, like EPA and USDA Rural
    Development, should also be increased to aid us and other Tribes to
    build the infrastructure needed for safe drinking water.
                           bureau of indian education
        With funding from the BIE and the Department of Education, we
    operate the Fond du Lac Ojibwe School serving an average of 230
    children from pre-K through 12th grade. More than 90 percent of our
    students come from very low-income households, as 96 percent receive
    free or reduced-price lunch. We are slowly making progress in improving
    the outcomes for our students. For example, high school graduation
    rates for American Indians in Minnesota have improved from 37.9 percent
    in 2003 to 52.6 percent in 2016, but are still well-below the 2016
    State-wide rate of 82.2 percent. We are handicapped by limited
    resources. BIE funding has never kept pace with need, which prevents us
    from providing the educational services needed for our students. We
    appreciate Congress's decision to increase overall BIE funding for
    fiscal year 2019 and to continue to fund the Johnson O'Malley (JOM)
    grant program. Because education is so critical to success later in
    life, we urge Congress to continue to increase Federal funding for
    Indian education. We especially ask that increases be made to each of
    the following program:

      --ISEP, which is the primary source of school funding provided
            through Interior. It covers salaries for teachers, teacher
            aides, and administrative personnel and is essential to our
            ability to recruit and retain qualified teachers.
      --Tribal Grant Support Costs, which helps pay for accounting,
            insurance, background checks, legal and record-keeping.
      --Student Transportation, which allow us to maintain, repair, and
            replace buses.
      --Early Childhood Development funds (FACE), which is critical to
            providing preschoolers with skills to be school-ready.
      --JOM, which assists Indian children in public schools.
      --School Facility Operations and Maintenance, which keeps the
            building safe, pays for preventative maintenance, and covers
            insurance and utility costs.
                         bia: public safety and justice
        We appreciate Congress's decision to increase funding for BIA's
    Public Safety and Justice, including increased funding for criminal
    investigations and police services and to help people affected by
    opioid addiction. The largest law enforcement problems we face are due
    to opioids and other drugs including methamphetamines and prescription
    drugs. The large drug problem has also increased thefts, burglaries,
    and assaults. In addition, we find (and the Federal Government has also
    recognized),\4\ that a disproportionately large number of Native
    American women are the victims of sex trafficking. This is a very
    serious problem for our community and we are working now to establish a
    Tribal Task Force to help combat it. Our law enforcement also responds
    to domestic disputes, disturbances, disorderly conduct, property
    damage, trespass, suspicious activity, unwanted persons, medical
    emergencies, fire, neglected children, missing persons, suicide
    threats, and traffic offenses.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ U.S. GAO, Human Trafficking: Investigations in Indian Country
    or Involving Native Americans and Actions Needed to Better Report on
    Victims Served (Sept 2017). https://www.indian.senate.gov/sites/
    default/files/upload/Gretta%20Goodwin%20Testimony.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        We address law enforcement by a combination of Tribal and available
    Federal funds and cooperative agreements with local law enforcement
    agencies. We currently have 20 officers, which, in addition to the
    Chief Law Enforcement Officer, includes a Lieutenant, one investigator
    and 17 officers assigned to patrol or similar duties. To meet need, we
    should have 25 full time officers. Five of those officers would be
    assigned to investigations, with two investigators dedicated to
    narcotics enforcement. We currently have 3 administrative staff, but
    should have one more person to gather Intel and manage an intelligence
    page linked to other Tribal agencies.
        We need funding for training. With an increase in the drug epidemic
    and related crimes, our officers need, but are not receiving, vital
    training for undercover work, narcotics detection, investigative
    procedures, interview and interrogation, use of force, de-escalation,
    firearms, and community policing. Budget restraints also restrict us
    from buying patrol vehicles and proper equipment to combat the drug
    problems on our Reservation. Uniform costs increase due to
    contamination from drugs and blood-borne pathogens from drug users.
    That includes duty gear and equipment, and patrol vehicles, which need
    to be decontaminated more frequently. There is also need for personal
    protective gear and other basic equipment (e.g., binoculars, video
    cameras and digital recorders). We urge Congress to increase Federal
    funding for Tribal law enforcement.
                    bia: trust-natural resources management
        We appreciate Congress's decision to increase funding for BIA
    Trust-Natural Resources by $2.6 million. We urge Congress to further
    increase funding for this program in fiscal year 2020, as past funding
    levels have never met need. Natural resource management is vital in
    Indian Country where the basic subsistence needs of many Indian
    People--especially those living in poverty--depend on natural
    resources. This is certainly true at Fond du Lac. By Treaties in 1837,
    1842 and 1854, the United States acquired our aboriginal territory, but
    to ensure that we could sustain ourselves, expressly promised that we
    retained rights to hunt, fish and gather natural resources within and
    outside our Reservation. Our members depend on and exercise these
    treaty-protected rights to put food on the table and for ceremonial
    practices that serve as the foundation for our culture. The stewardship
    of those natural resources-through scientific study, resource
    management, and enforcement of Band laws that regulate Tribal members
    who hunt, fish and gather those resources-are an important source of
    employment for many of our members. Full funding for Trust-Natural
    Resources Management, including increased funding for Rights,
    Protection and Implementation, is essential in allowing us to protect,
    enhance, and restore natural resources.
        Forest resources are an important asset to us, and the Interior
    Department has recognized the importance of protecting forests from
    wildfire. Fire preparedness funding is insufficient. Fire preparedness
    provides jobs in Indian forestry and protects Indian and non-Indian
    lands.
       national park service: historic preservation funds--tribal grants
        We urge Congress to increase funding, as the work of Tribal
    Historic Preservation Officers has grown. We have seen this firsthand.
    Failures on the part of Federal and State officials to properly review
    existing records of known sites of historic and cultural importance to
    the Band resulted in substantial inadvertent discoveries of human
    remains in a known Indian cemetery. This has, in turn, placed
    substantial demands on our THPO to ensure proper delineation of the
    site to protect the undisturbed portions, and ensure proper reburial of
    the remains.
                     environmental protection agency (epa)
        We appreciate that Congress has continued to provide Federal funds
    for EPA, but we ask that funding for EPA in fiscal year 2020 be
    increased. We rely on EPA grants to clean up brownfields and administer
    clean water and clean air programs. These enable us to protect the
    health of our community, so that we have safe water to drink and can
    continue to rely on fish, wild rice, and game to put food on the table.

      --State and Tribal Assistances Grants (STAG).--We thank Congress
            providing STAG funding in fiscal year 2019 and strongly urge
            that support for this program continue.
      --Water Quality.--We have a federally-approved water quality
            standards program that has seen annual funding declines while
            the need and Band's responsibilities have increased. Given the
            current threats to water resources in our region, we urge that
            Tribal section 106 funding be doubled so that we can do the
            work needed to protect the water we drink, which is critical to
            the fish and game that are central to our and the State's
            economy.
      --Air.--We also have a long-standing air monitoring program that has
            faced a steady decline in Federal funding. We request that air
            quality program funding for Tribes be increased.
      --Wetlands.--One-half of our reservation is made up of wetlands.
            Proper management and restoration of this valuable resource is
            impossible without adequate and consistent Federal funding. We
            request sustained wetland monitoring and protection program
            funding.
      --Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.--The Band fully supports this
            initiative, and asks that Congress increase funding by $200
            million to restore the original funding level suggested for
            this initiative to $500 million. This initiative has broad-
            reaching benefits to resources of importance for all
            stakeholders (State, Tribal and private) in the Great Lakes
            region.

        Miigwech. Thank you.

        [This statement was submitted by Kevin R. Dupuis, Sr., Chairman.]
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the Forest Climate Working Group (FCWG)

                            Endorsing Organizations:

                 American Forest Foundation  American Forests

          Binational Softwood Lumber Council  Cleaves Consulting LLC

    The Conservation Fund  Enviva  The Forestland Group  Forest Stewards
                                     Guild

          Hancock Forest Management  Hardwood Federation  L&C Carbon

          National Alliance of Forest Owners  The Nature Conservancy

        Society of American Foresters  Sustainable Forestry Initiative

                Western Pennsylvania Conservancy  Weyerhaeuser

                        Woodworks--Wood Products Council

        Rationale: Forests and forest products currently sequester and
    store 14 percent of annual carbon emissions. It is important to
    maintain this important resource by addressing rising threats to forest
    health and slowing forest conversion to non-forest uses. We can take
    steps to protect and increase this carbon benefit, and accelerate the
    ability of U.S. forests to provide a sustained level of climate
    mitigation service to the Nation. Many of these same investments are
    leveraged to strengthen the resiliency of the Nation's forests and thus
    protect additional public services beyond carbon such as watersheds,
    wildlife habitat, recreational resources and economic prosperity for
    rural and urban communities alike.
                         fiscal year 2020 budget items
        The FCWG recommended funding levels below focus on program needs to
    produce major positive steps in conserving and enhancing climate
    resilience and carbon sequestration and storage on public and private
    lands.
    Invest in Sound Science and Data
      --USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis Program: FIA is the foundational
            measure for our forests nationwide and is essential to
            monitoring our progress. The fiscal year 2019 enacted budget
            included a level funding for this program which we believe
            should at least be maintained, but an investment of $83 million
            in fiscal year 2020 is warranted. We remain concerned about the
            low level of funding for the program relative to established
            needs for the information it provides and the negative impact
            of constrained budgets on data gathering, geographic scope, and
            sampling return interval and national consistency that is vital
            for evaluating forest carbon and resilience problems and
            potentials. This additional Federal investment should be
            accompanied with language calling for improvements in this
            program efficiencies to justify additional investment in 2020
            and in future fiscal years to enable further program impact and
            ensure that FIA fully delivers on the Congressional mandate set
            in previous Farm Bills and the needs for forest owners,
            managers, and communities. Additional support for the FIA
            program is needed to ensure that we have improved data
            regarding carbon sequestration rates and storage and the impact
            of disturbance in forests to support growing data and analysis
            needs for climate mitigation, forest protection, and bioenergy.
      --USDA Climate Hubs and Related Investments in Applied Climate
            Science: The USDA Climate Hubs have demonstrated the capacity
            to provide useful science-based guidance for private landowners
            and other land managers. The Hubs assure that investments in
            science are returned to the taxpayer in the form of usable
            knowledge and tools that millions of forest landowners and
            managers can apply to climate adaptation and mitigation
            problems. Continued investment in these Hubs, integrated into
            various program funding, to assist both public and private land
            managers is critical to cross-boundary success. Specifically,
            the USFS Forest and Rangeland Research at $315 million is
            needed to ensure this and other climate research can be applied
            to managing all forests.
    Promote the Use of Forest Products--Utilization in Building
            Construction
                USFS Forest Products Laboratory
      --Woodworks: We recommend at least $2 million investment through the
            USFS, or other funding source, into the initiative Woodworks,
            which promotes wood use in building construction through
            technology transfer, especially in non-residential buildings.
      --Life Cycle Assessment Research on Wood Products: We recommend a $1
            million investment in LCA Research through USFS FPL to ensure
            the most updated information about the environmental impact of
            wood products, with a particular focus on climate related
            information and the role of wood in sustainable forest
            management systems.
    Enhance Resources for Private Forest Owners--Reforestation,
            Afforestation, and Restoration
      --USFS Forest Stewardship Program: The Forest Stewardship Program
            helps landowners plan sustainable management, including carbon
            friendly and climate-smart practices, and to implement
            reforestation. We recommend an appropriation of at least $29
            million to advance carbon mitigation through this program,
            including funds to support tree-planting assistance on private
            lands.
      --USFS Landscape Scale Restoration: We recommend $20 million this
            program, to stimulate cross boundary, landscape scale work that
            will measurably improve climate mitigation and resilience in
            our forests. We feel that the landscape restoration approach
            taken by the U.S. Forest Service effectively leverages public
            investments and creates scale and efficiency that allows
            climate and carbon public and private benefits to be both cost-
            effective and sustainable. Climate-induced stressors like
            wildfires and insects and diseases, don't stay within ownership
            boundaries and thus, a landscape approach is needed.
    Utilize Existing Grant Programs to Retain Forests--Diverse Tools for
            Different Partners and Contexts
      --USFS Forest Legacy Program: We recommend $100 million for the
            Forest Legacy Program the most flexible and widely applicable
            Federal program for permanent conservation of forestland from
            development. We recommend at least maintaining or strengthening
            funding for this program to capture the many opportunities for
            State, local, and private forest conservation in carbon-rich
            forest systems, including extensive working forest conservation
            easements.
      --USFS Community Forest and Open Space Program: The Community Forest
            Program is a 50/50 matching grant program that is helping local
            governments, Tribes, and non-profits to acquire and manage
            forestland threatened with conversion. We recommend $5 million
            for this program, to fully tap the potential of these local and
            Tribal entities to contribute carbon mitigation through forests
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the Friends of Camas National Wildlife Refuge
                                   background
        Camas National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1937 to protect
    nearly 11,000 acres of the Snake River Plains in eastern Idaho for the
    benefit of migratory waterbirds. The refuge contained nearly 5,000
    acres of high desert wetlands fed by groundwater discharge from local
    springs and the surface waters of Camas Creek, a shallow stream that
    frequently topped its banks. However, ensuing agricultural development
    of the watershed prompted landscape modifications to control the stream
    water for crop irrigation and to deter unwanted flooding. Creek
    excavation began around refuge headquarters to prevent flooding of the
    structures, and at the same time became common practice throughout the
    watershed. In this way, Camas Creek was systematically transformed from
    a flood prone three foot deep stream into a highly-incised twelve foot
    deep channel.
        In spite of this, the high water table continued to sustain
    expansive wetlands that annually produced thousands of waterfowl,
    supplied valuable stopover resources for tens of thousands of migratory
    waterbirds, and provided year-round habitat for obligate wetland
    species for the first half century of the refuges' existence. But
    beginning in the 1980s, a regional shift in agricultural practices from
    flood to sprinkler irrigation caused the groundwater at Camas to recede
    from the surface, effectively changing the area hydrologically from a
    discharge to a recharge system. Today, the water table exists 10 to 30
    feet below the ground. Combined with the artificially low retention of
    Camas Creek surface water, the retreat of groundwater has meant the
    inundation of fewer wetland acres for a shorter period of time. During
    each of the drought years in 2014 and 2015, the refuge peaked at a mere
    200 acres of inundated wetland habitat. This has profoundly decreased
    Camas NWR's contribution to wildlife conservation. Average waterfowl
    production and stopover usage have each fallen by an order of
    magnitude. The once established breeding populations of resident
    species such as leopard frogs, painted turtles, and muskrat no longer
    persist.
        In the absence of springs, Camas NWR wetlands now rely upon two
    sources for life-sustaining water: (1) Camas Creek surface water, and
    (2) groundwater contributions from agricultural wells co-opted to
    deliver water from the retreating aquifer. Yet, both sources remain
    configured in a way that inefficiently translates cubic feet of water
    into wetland acres, remnants of a period when water was plentiful on
    the refuge and concerns about water excess outweighed water scarcity.
    Therefore, in this emerging period of water shortage, Camas NWR needs
    to adapt in a way that most efficiently utilizes the available sources
    of water to protect and sustain the wetland resources that prompted
    refuge establishment.
                                   objectives
        The three following efforts are essential to reshaping Camas NWR to
    meet these hydrological challenges:

        1.  Return a portion of Camas Creek from its current highly incised
    state to a more natural morphology to convey more surface water to
    refuge wetlands via overbank flooding.
        2.  Shift the refuge point of creek diversion to a location
    downstream adjacent to lower seepage wetlands to avoid high seepage
    losses in the diversion water delivery ditch.
        3.  Relocate groundwater wells to locations adjacent to low seepage
    wetlands to significantly increase the wetland acreage return on cubic
    feet of water pumped from the aquifer.
                            camas creek restoration
        Problem: Eight stream miles of Camas Creek exist within Camas NWR
    boundaries and the refuge has senior water rights to the surface runoff
    it conveys. However, extensive modifications to the stream channel
    early in the refuges' history artificially confine these surface flows,
    minimizing retention of these waters on the refuge and impairing water
    clarity. Today, the excavated channel is about four times its natural
    depth over much of its length, placing the channel bottom well below
    that of the adjacent wetlands. In this way, much of the surface water
    that enters the refuge also exits the refuge, unable to flow uphill
    into many of the adjacent wetlands. The wetlands that do receive creek
    water are not necessarily much more successful at producing waterbird
    resources. With the channelization of the stream bed came highly
    incised banks whose continuous erosion releases abundant sediment into
    the creek water. These suspended sediments impair water clarity, which
    in turn inhibits the germination and growth of the submerged aquatic
    vegetation upon which wetland animals, including migratory waterbirds,
    rely for nutrition. In an average year, nearly two-thirds of Camas'
    largest wetland is too light-limited to produce submerged aquatic
    vegetation.
        Solution: In order to restore some measure of wetland expanse and
    integrity to Camas NWR, staff seeks to restore a portion of Camas Creek
    from its current highly incised state to a more natural morphology.
    This will promote overbank flooding by raising the creek channel to the
    level of the adjacent wetlands and increase water transparency by
    reducing bank erosion. We anticipate that the increase in overbank
    flooding and decrease in erosion from a restored Camas Creek will
    contribute to the recovery of historical wetland acreage, and to the
    increased production of high quality aquatic resources for migratory
    waterbirds.
                               point of diversion
        Problem: The refuge maintains a point of diversion from Camas Creek
    on the northeast side of the refuge. From this structure, surface water
    is diverted down a 2 mile long delivery ditch to a ring of wetland
    impoundments. However, a significant proportion of this water never
    arrives at the wetlands, instead sinking through the porous substrate
    of the ditch towards the aquifer. A USGS seepage study concluded that
    water was lost to the aquifer in this ditch at a rate two orders of
    magnitude higher than in any of the sampled wetlands.
        Solution: To more efficiently translate diverted creek water into
    wetland acres, the refuge needs to move their point of diversion
    downstream to a location directly adjacent to the wetland units,
    bypassing the inefficient main diversion water delivery ditch.
                          groundwater well relocation
        Problem: To offset the loss of groundwater contributions to
    wetlands via spring discharge, refuge staff co-opted volume wells to
    deliver water from the retreating aquifer into wetland impoundments.
    Today, well operation comes at great expense due to the quantities of
    electricity required, but only yields 200 acres of wetland habitat.
    This inefficiency is an unsurprising consequence of co-opting wells
    established for agricultural irrigation to wetland inundation. Nine of
    the ten refuge wells remain in their original locations. As such, only
    7 of these wells are connected to infrastructure that can deliver water
    to wetlands. And water originating from five of these wells must
    utilize inefficient delivery ditches with high seepage rates.
    Additionally, the effect of well water input is not uniform across
    Camas NWR wetlands. While the southern wetlands hold water better, most
    of the wells exist in the north part of the refuge. This mismatch
    requires that well water must first fill impoundments with high seepage
    rates in order to reach the southern wetlands.
        Solution: To efficiently translate limited and expensive water
    resources into quality wetland habitat, the refuge needs to
    strategically relocate groundwater wells to locations adjacent to
    southern wetlands. This will allow for inundation of twice the acreage
    during drought years, and increase the ability of staff to manage for a
    more natural dynamic hydrology regime which will yield abundant and
    diverse resources for migratory waterbirds.
                                   importance
        Camas NWR is located in the arid Intermountain West. Similar to
    many parts of the Nation, this region has not been exempted from
    wetland destruction/loss. However, the natural rarity of aquatic
    habitat in this arid region lends added importance to the maintenance
    and restoration of the limited habitat that remains. It is estimated
    that approximately 90 percent of Intermountain West wildlife species
    depend upon wetlands for at least some portion of their life.
                            consequences of inaction
      --Breeding and stopover habitat for migratory waterbirds will
            continue to be lost.
      --Species diversity and abundance will decrease both locally and
            likely regionally.
      --Once productive units will remain non-viable for waterfowl hunting
            opportunities because the refuge lacks the ability to maintain
            water in those wetlands into the fall.
      --Diminished quality of wildlife viewing opportunities for family
            outings.
      --Opportunities for drawing in and educating area students, scouts,
            and adults will decrease.
      --Food chains, food webs and area ecosystems will be disrupted.
      --The decline in native species will create a void likely to be
            filled by invasive or less desirable species.

        [This statement was submitted by Karl P. Bohan, President.]
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the Friends of Rachel Carson National Wildlife
                                     Refuge

                      The Honorable Lisa Murkowski, Chair

                    The Honorable Tom Udall, Ranking Member

                                  May 17, 2019

        Ms. Chairman and Honorable Members of the subcommittee: I am Bill
    Durkin, President of The Friends of Rachel Carson National Wildlife
    Refuge in Biddeford, Maine.
        I have been a member of the Friends of Rachel Carson NWR for the
    past 30 years. The group was founded in 1987; we are a small group
    supporting the refuge in Southern Maine. I have given numerous written
    statements over the years and we really appreciate your support in the
    past. This year, our refuge is not requesting any appropriations
    directly for Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge; this is a request
    for general funding of the National Wildlife Refuge System of $586
    million. This year we ask to appropriate $50 million in the National
    Wildlife Refuge Fund. There was great news last week with the news of
    reauthorizing and permanently funding the Land , Water and Conservation
    Fund. With that in mind, I request $150 million for the National
    Wildlife Refuge Systems purchase of easements and in holdings. I thank
    you all for your consideration.
        The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is named in honor of one
    of the nation's foremost and forward-thinking biologists. After
    arriving in Maine in 1946 as an aquatic biologist for the U.S. Fish and
    Wildlife Service, Rachel Carson became entranced with Maine's coastal
    habitat, leading her to write the international best-seller The Sea
    Around Us. This landmark study, in combination with her other writings,
    The Edge of the Sea and Silent Spring, led Rachel Carson to become an
    advocate on behalf of this nation's vast coastal habitat and the
    wildlife that depends on it. Her legacy lives on today at the refuge
    that bears her name and is dedicated to the permanent protection of the
    salt marshes and estuaries of the southern Maine coast. The refuge was
    established in 1966 to preserve migratory bird habitat and waterfowl
    migration along southern Maine's coastal estuaries. It consists of 11
    refuge divisions in 12 municipalities protecting approximately 5,600
    acres within a 14,800 acre acquisition zone.
        Consisting of meandering tidal creeks, coastal upland, sandy dunes,
    salt ponds, marsh, and productive wetlands, the Rachel Carson NWR
    provides critical nesting and feeding habitat for the threatened piping
    plover and a variety of migratory waterfowl, and serves as a nursery
    for many shellfish and finfish. Located along the Atlantic flyway, the
    refuge serves as an important stopover point for migratory birds.
    Previous years' appropriations have allowed the USFWS to conserve
    several properties within the refuge.
        1. We are requesting an overall funding level of $586 Million in
    fiscal year 2020 for the Operations and Maintenance Budget of the
    National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
    Service. All of the refuges are in dire need of staffing and upkeep.
    The National Wildlife Refuge System is responsible for 568 million
    acres of lands and waters, but currently receives less than a $1. per
    acre for management costs. The refuges cannot fulfill its obligation to
    the American public, our wildlife and 47 million annual visitors
    without adequate funding. Refuges provide unparalleled opportunities to
    hunt, fish, watch wildlife and educate children about the environment.
    An investment in the Nation's Refuge System is an excellent investment
    in the American economy, generating $2.4 billion and creating about
    35,000 jobs in local economies. Without increased funding for refuges,
    wildlife conservation and public recreation opportunities will be
    jeopardized. We fully supported the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's request of
    $586 Million for Operation and Management for the National Wildlife
    Refuge System.
        2. Appropriate $50 million in the National Wildlife Refuge Fund in
    fiscal year 2020 which offsets losses in local government tax revenue
    because lands owned by the Refuge System are exempt from taxation. The
    Refuge Fund is an annual appropriation that supplements the Refuge
    Revenue Sharing Program. The Revenue Sharing Program offsets lost local
    tax revenue by providing payments to local governments from net income
    derived from permits and wildlife refuge activities.
        3. We request $150 million in LWCF funding for Refuge land
    acquisitions/conservation easements and we thank you for the recent
    vote on re-establishing ``forever'' for the permanent reauthorization
    full funding of LWCF. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is our
    Nation's premier Federal program to acquire and protect lands at
    national parks, forests, refuges, and public lands and at State parks,
    trails, and recreational facilities. These sites across the country
    provide the public with substantial social and economic benefits
    including promoting healthier lifestyles through active recreation,
    protecting drinking water and watersheds, improving wildfire
    management, and assisting the adaptation of wildlife and fisheries to
    climate change. The quality of place is greatly enhanced. As you know,
    LWCF uses no tax payer dollars. Created by Congress in 1964 and re-
    authorized last week, the LWCF is our most important land and easement
    acquisition tool. I support the administration's commitment to fully
    funding the program. This wise investment in the Land and Water
    Conservation Fund is one that will permanently pay dividends to the
    American people and to our great natural and historical heritage. The
    Refuge System needs $150 million in LWCF for fiscal year 2020,
    including these high priority requests:

      --$10 million for Everglades Headwaters NWR and Conservation Area
            (FL)
      --$6 million for Silvio O. Conte NFWR (CT, NH, VT, MA)
      --$3 million for Cache River NWR (AR)
      --$2 million for Bear River Watershed Conservation Area (WY, ID, UT)
      --$2 million for Blackwater NWR (MD)
      --$2 million for Clarks River NWR (KY)
      --$8 million for Hakalau Forest NWR (HI)
      --$8 million for the Dakota Grasslands Conservation Area (ND, SD)

        I again extend our appreciation to the subcommittee for its ongoing
    commitment to our National Wildlife Refuge System and respectfully
    request the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations
    Subcommittee allocate $586 million for the Refuge System's fiscal year
    2018 Operations & Maintenance Budget, $50 million in the National
    Wildlife Refuge Fund and $150 million in Refuge LWCF monies. I Thank
    Congress for reauthorizing and understanding the need and the
    commitment that was made in 1964 : Keep LWCF for the People and
    Wildlife. I request $900 million in LWCF funds for fiscal year 2020.
        Thank you again, Ms. Chairman, for the opportunity to present this
    testimony in support of protecting wildlife and it's habitat. Enjoy
    your next walk out on a National Wildlife Refuge. Please visit Maine
    and the Rachel Carson National Wildlife refuge.
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the Friends of the San Luis Valley National
                                Wildlife Refuges
        Thank you for the opportunity to address funding for the U.S. Fish
    and Wildlife Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System. I am
    writing on behalf of the approximately 200 members of the Friends of
    the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges.
        Refuges in the San Luis Valley, Colorado have been devastated by
    budget cuts in the past 20 years since the Friends formed. Refuge
    staffing has been reduced to the point to where the remaining staff can
    barely keep up with day-to-day maintenance of the refuges. In 2003, the
    92,500 acre Baca National Wildlife Refuge was added to the San Luis
    Valley Refuge Complex without funding for additional staff. Currently,
    that refuge is staffed by one refuge manager, an biology technician,
    and one wage grade maintenance position. Each of these positions came
    from previous positions on the existing Alamosa and Monte Vista
    Refuges.
        Due to recent changes in water management in the San Luis Valley in
    which junior water users need to augment their injury to senior surface
    water users, the Monte Vista Refuge hardly has enough money to pay to
    pump water to provide habitat for migratory birds.
        The refuge biologist, Scott Miller, now spends much his time
    writing grants to try to find money to fund programs on the refuge.
        The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is one of the smallest of the
    Federal land management agencies, but their management is intensive and
    requires people on the ground. In the last restructuring, many refuges
    and wetland management units were simply closed and the gates locked.
        We have been told repeatedly by the regional USFWS office that the
    San Luis Valley Refuge Complex is a funding priority, but we haven't
    seen much funding. In the Comprehensive Conservation Plan, published in
    2015, Fish and Wildlife proposed building an new office complex/visitor
    contact station, but apparently funding for the project has been cut to
    the point that the building would not be large enough for the few
    remaining staff.
        From our perspective, the Refuge System is dying from 1000 cuts--
    that today have reached the bone. As I compile this brief list of what
    has happened to ``our'' refuges, it saddens me to reflect on the
    decline in our local refuges and the refuge system as a whole, and the
    corresponding costs to USFWS employees, local communities, and wildlife
    across the United States.
        If we are to preserve our natural heritage, we need to fund our
    National Wildlife Refuge System.

        [This statement was submitted by Tim Armstrong, President.]
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the Geological Society of America
                                    summary
        The Geological Society of America (GSA) urges Congress to provide
    $1.2 billion for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in fiscal year 2020.
    We thank Congress for the investments made in fiscal year 2019 and
    encourage a path of sustainable growth moving forward. As one of our
    Nation's key science agencies, the USGS plays a vital role in
    understanding and documenting mineral and energy resources that
    underpin economic growth; researching and monitoring potential natural
    hazards that threaten U.S. and international security; and determining
    and assessing water quality and availability. Approximately two thirds
    of the USGS budget is allocated for research and development. In
    addition to supporting the science activities and decisions of the
    Department of the Interior, this research is used by communities across
    the Nation to make informed decisions in land-use planning, emergency
    response, natural resource management, engineering, and education.
    Despite the critical role played by the USGS, funding for the agency
    has stagnated in real dollars for more than a decade. Given the
    importance of the many activities of the Survey that protect lives and
    property, contribute to national security, and enhance the quality of
    life, GSA believes that growth in funding for the Survey is necessary
    for the future of our Nation.

        The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a global professional
    society with approximately 22,000 individuals. GSA provides access to
    elements that are essential to the professional growth of earth
    scientists at all levels of expertise and from all sectors: academic,
    government, business, and industry. The Society unites thousands of
    earth scientists from every corner of the globe in a common purpose to
    study the mysteries of our planet (and beyond) and share scientific
    findings.

        The Geological Society of America (GSA) appreciates the increase to
    the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) budget in fiscal year 2019 and thanks
    the Committee for recognizing the importance of the work of the agency
    to protect lives, property, and national security. GSA asks Congress to
    again reject the proposed cuts in the administration's request and
    instead provide USGS $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2020. GSA urges the
    committee ensure that any changes to the organizational structure of
    USGS support rather than hinder the ability of the USGS to serve the
    Nation with its research.
    u.s. geological survey contributions to national security, health, and
                                    welfare
        The USGS is one of the Nation's premier science agencies, with a
    distinctive capacity to engage truly interdisciplinary teams of experts
    to gather data, conduct research, and develop integrated decision
    support tools. Approximately two thirds of the USGS budget is allocated
    for research and development. In addition to underpinning the science
    activities and decisions of the Department of the Interior, this
    research is used by communities and businesses across the Nation to
    make informed decisions regarding land use planning, emergency
    response, natural resource management, engineering, and education.
        As noted in the Preamble to its Endorsement of American
    Meteorological Society's Freedom of Scientific Expression statement,
    GSA ``strongly believes that science and society benefit greatly from
    careful and ample technical peer review of scientific findings, and
    subsequent communication of scientific results must be permitted freely
    and without concern by the scientist for censorship, intimidation, or
    political interference.'' GSA encourages Congress to ensure that USGS
    follows these principles and others outlined in the Department of the
    Interior's Integrity of Scientific and Scholarly Activities policies.

        USGS research addresses many of society's greatest challenges for
    national security, health, and welfare. Several are highlighted below.

      --Natural hazards--including earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis,
            volcanic eruptions, wildfires, and landslides--are a major
            cause of fatalities and economic losses. Recent natural
            disasters, including the Camp, Carr, and Woolsey fires and
            Hurricanes Michael and Florence, provide unmistakable evidence
            that the United States remains vulnerable to staggering losses.
            An improved scientific understanding of geologic hazards will
            reduce future losses by informing effective planning and
            mitigation.
           Decision makers in many sectors rely upon USGS data to respond
    to natural disasters. For example, USGS volcano monitoring provides key
    data to enable decisions on aviation safety. Data from the USGS network
    of stream gages is used by the National Weather Service to issue flood
    and drought warnings. Earth and space observations provide data
    necessary to predict severe space weather events, which affect the
    electric power grid, satellite communications and information, and
    space-based position, navigation, and timing systems. GSA urges
    Congress to support efforts for USGS to modernize and upgrade its
    natural hazards monitoring and warning systems, including additional 3-
    D elevation mapping and earthquake early warning systems. The recent
    enactment of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
    Reauthorization Act of 2018 indicates the support of Congress and the
    administration for this important research and programs that enable
    advance warning of impending hazards.
      --On December 20, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order
            entitled A Federal Strategy to Ensure Secure and Reliable
            Supplies of Critical Minerals, that finds,
           ``The United States is heavily reliant on imports of certain
    mineral commodities that are vital to the Nation's security and
    economic prosperity. This dependency of the United States on foreign
    sources creates a strategic vulnerability for both its economy and
    military to adverse foreign government action, natural disaster, and
    other events that can disrupt supply of these key minerals.''
           GSA supports increases in minerals science, research,
    information, data collection and analysis that will allow for more
    economic and environmental management and utilization of minerals. In
    addition, GSA supports increases in funding for research to better
    understand domestic sources of energy, including conventional and
    unconventional oil and gas and renewables. GSA appreciates
    congressional support for the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth
    MRI), formerly known as 3DEEP, which will provide new resources and
    build upon the existing and successful 3-D elevation mapping and
    National Cooperative Geological Mapping Program to accelerate
    geological and geophysical mapping, identify critical mineral sites for
    further scientific review, and provide a host of additional benefits to
    local, State, and Federal entities for safety, security, scientific,
    and industrial uses.
      --The quality and quantity of surface water and groundwater have a
            direct impact on the wellbeing of societies and ecosystems, as
            evidenced by flooding and drought impacts experienced across
            the U.S. during the past year, as well as the dependence of
            much of our society on groundwater. Greater scientific
            understanding of these resources through monitoring and
            research by the USGS is necessary to ensure adequate and safe
            water resources for the health and welfare of society.
      --USGS research on climate impacts is used by local policymakers and
            resource managers to make sound decisions based on the best
            possible science. The Climate Adaptation Science Centers
            (CASC), for example, provide scientific information necessary
            to anticipate, monitor, and adapt to the effects of climate
            change at regional and local levels, allowing communities to
            make smart, cost-effective decisions. For example, The North
            Central CASC supported the development of a new experimental
            drought-monitoring and early warning guidance tool called the
            Landscape Evaporative Response Index.
      --The Landsat satellites have amassed the largest archive of remotely
            sensed land data in the world, a tremendously important
            resource for natural resource exploration, land use planning,
            and assessing water resources, the impacts of natural
            disasters, and global agriculture production. GSA supports
            investment in earth observations, including interagency efforts
            to develop the next generation Landsat. Increased funding will
            be critical to implement the recommendations of the recent
            National Academy of Sciences' Earth Science and Applications
            from Space (ESAS) Decadal Survey report, which states:
           ``Earth science and applications are a key part of the Nation's
    information infrastructure, warranting a U.S. program of Earth
    observations from space that is robust, resilient, and appropriately
    balanced.''

        Activities from hazard monitoring to mineral forecasts are
    supported by the Core System Sciences, Facilities, and Science Support.
    These programs and services, such as geologic mapping and data
    preservation, provide critical information, data, and infrastructure
    that underpin the research of the USGS. Funding is particularly needed
    in Facilities to address many deferred maintenance issues and GSA
    appreciates the committee's recent investments in this area.
        Knowledge of the earth sciences is essential to scientific literacy
    and to meeting the environmental and resource challenges of the 21st
    century. GSA is very concerned that cuts in Earth science funding will
    cause students and young professionals to leave the field, potentially
    leading to a lost generation of professionals in areas that are already
    facing worker shortages. Investments in these areas could lead to job
    growth, as demand for these professionals now and in the future is
    assessed to be high. Emerging Workforce Trends in the Energy and Mining
    Industries: A Call to Action, found, ``In mining (nonfuel and coal) a
    personnel crisis for professionals and workers is pending and it
    already exists for faculty.'' Another recent study by the American
    Geosciences Institute, Status of the Geoscience Workforce Report 2018,
    found an expected deficit of approximately 118,000 geoscientists by
    2026. Strong investments in geoscience research are needed to prepare
    citizens for these job opportunities.
        Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony about the U.S.
    Geological Survey. For additional information or to learn more about
    the Geological Society of America--including GSA Position Statements on
    climate change, water resources, mineral and energy resources, natural
    hazards, and public investment in Earth science research--please visit
    www.geosociety.org or contact GSA's Director for Geoscience Policy
    Kasey White at kwhite@geosociety.org.

        [This statement was submitted by Kasey White, Director for
    Geoscience Policy.]
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife
                              Commission (GLIFWC)
    1.  DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, OPERATION OF
            INDIAN PROGRAMS
     a.  Trust-Natural Resources Management, Rights Protection
    Implementation (RPI).--At least the $40,273,000 provided in fiscal year
    2019 and a proportionate share for Great Lakes Area Resource
    Management.
     b.  Trust-Natural Resources Management, Tribal Management/Development
    Program (TM/DP).--At least the $12,036,000 proposed by the Senate and
    House in fiscal year 2019 and the TM/DP requests of GLIFWC's member
    Tribes.
     c.  Trust-Natural Resources Management, Invasive Species.--At least
    $6,773,000, the amount proposed by the Senate and House in fiscal year
    2019.
     d.  Tribal Government, Contract Support.--Full funding, estimated to
    be at least $242,000,000 in fiscal year 2019.

        Funding Authorizations: Snyder Act, 25 U.S.C. s. 13; Indian Self-
    Determination and Education Assistance Act, (Public Law 93-638), 25
    U.S.C. ss. 450f and 450h; and the treaties between the United States
    and GLIFWC's member Ojibwe Tribes.\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Specifically, the Treaty of 1836, 7 Stat. 491, Treaty of 1837,
    7 Stat. 536, Treaty of 1842, 7 Stat. 591, and Treaty of 1854, 10 Stat.
    1109. The rights guaranteed by these treaties have been affirmed by
    various court decisions, including a 1999 U.S. Supreme Court case.

    2.  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
     a.  Environmental Programs and Management, Geographic Programs, Great
    Lakes Restoration.--The historical allocation of $300,000,000,
    including a Tribal program of no less than $15,000,000.
     b.  State and Tribal Assistance Grants, Categorical Grants, Tribal
    General Assistance Program.--At least the fiscal year 2018 and fiscal
    year 2019 amounts of $65,476,000.

        Funding Authorizations: Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. s. 1268(c);
    Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, Public Law 114-
    322 s. 5005; and treaties cited above.

        Funding through these programs fulfills Federal treaty, trust and
    contract obligations to GLIFWC's member Tribes, providing vital
    resources to sustain their governmental programs. We ask that Congress
    maintain these programs and provide funding at no less than the fiscal
    year 2019 levels.

    GLIFWC'S Fiscal Year 2020 Funding Request Highlights

    1.  GLIFWC would be pleased to accept an allocation of appropriated RPI
    funding that is in the same proportion as it currently receives.
    2.  Full restoration of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding to
    its historical $300,000,000 level, with no less than $15,000,000 for a
    distinct Tribal program.
    3.  Full funding for contract support costs, as required by the ISDEA
    Act.
    4.  Sufficient funding in the Tribal Management and Development line
    item for GLIFWC's member Tribes to fulfill their needs for reservation-
    based natural resource programs and to fund the Circle of Flight
    wetlands program.

    GLIFWC'S Goal--A Secure Funding Base To Fulfill Treaty Purposes and
            Legal Obligations

        For 35 years, Congress has funded GLIFWC to implement comprehensive
    conservation, natural resource protection, and law enforcement programs
    that: (1) protect public safety; (2) ensure member Tribes are able to
    implement their treaty reserved rights to hunt, fish, and gather
    throughout the ceded territories; (3) ensure a healthy and sustainable
    natural resource base to support those rights; and (4) promote healthy,
    safe communities. These programs also provide a wide range of public
    benefits, and facilitate participation in management partnerships in
    Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota.

    GLIFWC'S Programs--Promoting Healthy Communities and Educating Tribal
            Members Through Treaty Rights Exercise

        Established in 1984, GLIFWC is a natural resources management
    agency of 11 member Ojibwe Tribes with resource management
    responsibilities over their ceded territory (off-reservation) hunting,
    fishing and gathering treaty rights. These ceded territories extend
    over a 60,000 square mile area in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and
    Michigan.\2\ GLIFWC employs over 80 full-time staff, including natural
    resource scientists, technicians, conservation enforcement officers,
    policy specialists, and public information specialists.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ GLIFWC's programs do not duplicate those of the Chippewa-Ottawa
    Resource Authority or the 1854 Treaty Authority. GLIFWC also
    coordinates with its member Tribes with respect to Tribal treaty
    fishing that extends beyond reservation boundaries by virtue of the
    Treaty of 1854 and the reservations' locations on Lake Superior.

        GLIFWC strives to implement its programs in a holistic, integrated
    manner consistent with the culture and values of its member Tribes,
    especially in light of Tribal lifeways that the exercise of treaty
    rights supports. This means not only ensuring that Tribal members can
    legally exercise their rights, but supporting community efforts to
    educate them about the benefits (physical, spiritual, and cultural) of
    harvesting and consuming a more traditional diet, as well as promoting
    inter-generational learning and the transmission of traditional
    cultural and management practices. These programs, in turn, promote
    safe and healthy communities by encouraging healthy lifestyles,
    intergenerational connections, and cultural education.
        GLIFWC and its member Tribes thank Congress, and particularly this
    subcommittee, for its continuing support of these treaty obligations
    and its recognition of the ongoing success of these programs. There are
    two main elements of this fiscal year 2020 funding request:

      --BIA Great Lakes Area Management (within the RPI line item).--A
            proportionate share of the $40,273,000 as provided in 2019 for
            the RPI line item. The fiscal year 2019 increase of $112,000 is
            greatly appreciated. GLIFWC continues to support allocating
            increases to the RPI line item in the historically
            proportionate amounts.
        There is a long history of Federal funding for treaty rights
    protection and implementation programs. For more than 30 years,
    Congress and each administration have appropriated funding for these
    programs. GLIFWC has testified about the fact that the need is
    consistently greater than RPI funding, and the impacts that
    underfunding has on treaty rights programs. The Federal Government, as
    a treaty signatory, is required to uphold treaty rights. It has
    appropriately chosen to invest in our programs as efficient, cost-
    effective service delivery mechanisms at the governmental level most
    appropriate to implement Federal court orders and to protect and
    restore the natural resources on which the treaty rights are based.
        GLIFWC's holistic approach to protecting treaty rights and the
    natural resources that support them requires that we undertake a
    variety of activities that promote Tribal lifeways and inform natural
    resource management activities. These include scientific, technical and
    policy analyses, promotion of healthy foods, and language
    revitalization. To this end, maximum flexibility should be provided to
    GLIFWC and its Tribes to define for themselves the science and research
    activities best suited to the needs of their member Tribes and the
    particular issues within their region. GLIFWC would be pleased to
    accept funds from the RPI account in the same proportion as it received
    in fiscal year 2019.

      --EPA Environmental Programs and Management: $300,000,000.--GLIFWC
            supports continued funding for the Great Lakes Restoration
            Initiative (GLRI) as an important non-regulatory program that
            enhances and ensures coordinated governance in the Great Lakes,
            fulfillment of international agreements, and substantive
            natural resource protection and restoration projects. GLIFWC
            supports consistent funding for the GLRI at $300 million, the
            level that has been provided and received unwavering bipartisan
            support since 2011.
        GLIFWC appreciates the directive in the Fiscal Year 2018
    Consolidated Appropriations Act's explanatory statement that EPA should
    work with Tribes and the BIA to develop a proposal for a distinct
    Tribal program within the GLRI. GLIFWC is working with those agencies
    to develop such a program. GLIFWC understands that in 2020, the program
    will be funded at $15 million. This will help ensure that Tribes have
    the flexibility to develop the programs that are of the highest
    priorities to their communities, fulfills the spirit of self-
    determination, meets treaty obligations, and carries out Federal trust
    responsibilities.
        Sustained funding for the GLRI allows GLIFWC to maintain its
    participation in interjurisdictional governance structures, including
    the implementation of the revised Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
    (GLWQA). With GLRI funding, GLIFWC has been able to provide active
    support on numerous implementing Annexes, including the Lakewide Action
    and Management Plan, Aquatic Invasive Species, and Chemicals of Mutual
    Concern Annexes.
        Sustained GLRI funding also allows GLIFWC to augment and leverage
    its current natural resource protection and enhancement activities.
    This includes enhancing GLIFWC's participation in interagency efforts
    to assess the impacts of mining waste (stamp sands) on an important
    whitefish and lake trout spawning reef in Lake Superior, and to explore
    remediation options and strategies.

    Results and Benefits of GLIFWC'S Programs

    1.  Maintain the Requisite Capability To Meet Legal Obligations, To
    Conserve Natural Resources and To Regulate Treaty Harvests.--While more
    funding would increase program comprehensiveness, sustained funding at
    the fiscal year 2019 level supports Tribal compliance with various
    court decrees and intergovernmental agreements that govern the Tribes'
    treaty-reserved hunting, fishing and gathering rights. Funding for
    science and research enhances GLIFWC's capability to undertake work and
    participate in partnerships to address ecosystem threats that harm
    treaty natural resources, including those related to climate change.
    2.  Remain A Trusted Management and Law Enforcement Partner, and
    Scientific Contributor in the Great Lakes Region.--GLIFWC has become a
    respected and integral part of management and law enforcement
    partnerships that conserve natural resources and protect public safety.
    It brings a Tribal perspective to interjurisdictional Great Lakes
    management fora and would use its scientific expertise to study issues
    and geographic areas that are important to its member Tribes but that
    others may not be examining.
    3.  Maintain the Overall Public Benefits That Derive From Its
    Programs.--Over the years, GLIFWC has become a recognized and valued
    partner in natural resource management. Because of its institutional
    experience and staff expertise, GLIFWC has built and maintained
    numerous partnerships that: (1) provide accurate information and data
    to counter social misconceptions about Tribal treaty harvests and the
    status of ceded territory natural resources; (2) maximize each
    partner's financial resources and avoid duplication of effort and
    costs; (3) engender cooperation rather than competition; and (4)
    undertake projects that achieve public benefits that no one partner
    could accomplish alone.
    4.  Encourage and Contribute to Healthy Tribal Communities.--GLIFWC
    works with its member Tribes' communities to promote the benefits of
    treaty rights exercise. These include the health benefits associated
    with a more traditional diet and the intergenerational learning that
    takes place when elders teach youth. In addition, GLIFWC sponsors a
    camp each summer where Tribal youth build leadership skills, strengthen
    connections to the outdoors, and learn about treaty rights and careers
    in natural resource fields.

        [This statement was submitted by Michael J. Isham Jr., Executive
    Administrator.]
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of Griffin Sanders, Student at York Community High
                                     School
        In accordance to the prospective fiscal year budget of 2020,
    President Donald Trump's administration proposed a 31 percent budget
    cut to the Environment Protection Agency, the largest cut to a
    department in the entire budget. The passing of this budget would
    result in a 2.7 billion dollar change to the budget of the
    Environmental Protection Agency, leaving the department with only 6.1
    billion dollars to operate. While the President may want to reduce
    spending for the 2020 fiscal year, his budget includes increasing the
    funding to departments such as Defense by 33.3 billion dollars, giving
    the department a total of 718 billion dollars to operate. Due to the
    importance of the tasks of the Environmental Protection Agency in
    reducing the damages done to the Earth by humans, it is imperative that
    the Committee of Appropriations in the Senate does not pass this
    proposed cut to such a critical department.
        The Environmental Protection Agency performs a variety of tasks in
    order to ensure the public's health. The agency is responsible for
    regulating noxious gas emissions and establishing industry standards in
    order to preserve our environment. Furthermore, the department provides
    funding for research into how to further reduce the harmful particle
    and gasses that are polluted, as well as educate Americans on the
    importance of being environmentally friendly. If the Environmental
    Protection Agency is defunded, they will not be able to execute these
    tasks to their full potential. With the EPA being restricted by a lack
    of funding, they will not be able to enforce environmental standards
    and educate fellow citizens. Consequently, corporations in the
    automotive, chemical, and energy sectors will be able to evade these
    regulations, further damaging the environment, as well as the air in
    which we breathe. While many legislators may see the defense budget as
    a top priority in order to save the lives of Americans, the air
    pollution caused by industrialization is killing more Americans than
    any foreign enemy. According to many studies from a myriad of
    accredited sources such as Harvard and Medicare, a particulate matter
    concentration of 30 mg/m\3\ is enough to reduce life expectancy by as
    much as 5.4 years. Attached is a table synthesizing each study
    conducted on the relationship between elevated mortality risk and
    difference in life expectancy. Although each study has different
    estimates for mortality risk and life expectancies, each one concludes
    that air pollution causes an increase in mortality risk, while
    decreasing the expected length of life. While this concentration of
    particulate matter may be high for most parts of the United States,
    according to Arden C. Pope, a renowned expert in environmental science,
    even the concentrations in which the common American is exposed to, air
    pollution contributes to cardiovascular diseases and a diminished life
    expectancy. This lower life expectancy can be contributed to the many
    diseases brought on by air pollution. Some of these diseases include,
    but are not limited to vascular dysfunction, bronchitis, asthma,
    pulmonary oxidative stress, and even neurological diseases like
    Alzheimer's and depression. With the Environmental Protection Agency
    being restricted to operate by their budget, more Americans will be
    affected by these diseases.
        Although this budget only is for the Federal Government of the
    United States of America, the harm done to the environment by human
    presence is a global issue. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on
    Climate change, the effect of the greenhouse gasses being released
    through air pollution is catastrophic: In their report, they estimate
    that there will be an average increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius by the
    year 2050. This may not seem like a lot, but this is detrimental to the
    ecosystems across the world, as well as the everyday lives of all
    people. This change will melt the ice caps by the poles, destroying the
    environment in which many arctic animals reside, effectively driving
    them into distinction. The melting of the ice caps would also raise the
    sea level, flooding many cities on shoes with low elevation such as New
    Orleans, Miami, and New York. Additionally, there are many more less
    obvious effects of these greenhouse gasses emitted, such as an increase
    in food scarcity, poverty, natural disasters, and a change of climate
    in cities across the world. As appropriately worked by Vox, ``several
    Northern cities will look and feel a lot like how Southern cities do
    today. In some cities, it'll be like moving two States south''.
    Fortunately, it is not too late to change this fate. These disastrous
    changes will only occur if humanity continues to burn fossil fuels as
    the same rate at which it does today. Many nations have already taken
    action to save the planet by committing to the Paris Agreement, vowing
    to reduce the damages done to the environment before it is too late:
    The United States is not one of them. Defunding the Environmental
    Protection Agency would only be a step backwards in working to reduce
    emissions. Without adequate funding, the agency will become less
    effective in combating climate change, and the rate in which these
    ruinous changes occur will only increase.
        With the dangers of air pollution being so eminent and cataclysmic,
    it is vital that the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency is
    not reduced. The agency has proven itself to be effective in their
    roles in regulated emissions and educating the public about the dangers
    of pollution. If funded properly, the EPA will continue to work
    constructively and help to reduce harmful gas emissions, improving the
    air quality for Americans and giving them a better quality of life.
    Without the Environmental Protection Agency operating at its full
    capacity, Americans will expect an onslaught of many diseases and a
    shorter life. As a legislator of one of the most powerful nations in
    the world, you are in control of whether we as Americans act to save
    our dying planet. This decision on the budget of the EPA not only
    affects this generation, but future generations, by not cutting funding
    to the Environmental Protection Agency, we will help to ensure that our
    children, and our children's children will be able to live their best
    possible lives on the planet that we all share.

    Thank you,

    Griffin Sanders
    Student at York Community High School
    griffinsanders13@gmail.com

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       Difference in
                                                                                         Elevated          Life
                         Study                           Difference in Exposure       Mortality Risk    Expectancy
                                                                                            (%)         (estimates)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Harvard Six Cities Cohort study...............  30 mg/m\3\ PM2.5................              56             5.4
    ACS CPS-II Cohort study.......................  30 mg/m\3\ PM2.5................              20             2.2
    Medicare Cohort study.........................  30 mg/m\3\ PM2.5................              12             1.3
    Canadian Cohort study.........................  30 mg/m\3\ PM2.5................              33             3.4
    Meta Estimate of Cohort Studies...............  30 mg/m\3\ PM2.5................              20             2.2
    First Difference analysis of United States      30 mg/m\3\ PM2.5................  ..............             1.8
     country-level changes in life expectancy
     (1980-2000).
    First Difference analysis of United States      30 mg/m\3\ PM2.5................  ..............             1.1
     country-level changes in life expectancy
     (2000-2007).
    China Quasi Experimental, regression            30 mg/m\3\ PM2.5................              14             3.0
     discontinuity study North vs South of Huai
     River.
    Active Smoking................................  Active smoker vs never smoker...             100             7.8
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of Heidi K. Williams, Mayor, City of Thornton,
                                    Colorado
    Dear Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        As members of the WaterNow Alliance, we write to respectfully
    request your support to fund the Environmental Protection
    Administration's WaterSense Program at the fiscal year 2019 level of
    $3.1 million or higher. WaterSense shares resources and encourages the
    adoption of water efficient practices and products that use less water
    across the Nation. The proposed fiscal year 2020 budget calls for the
    elimination of this small but important program. We urge you to reject
    this proposal and fund the WaterSense Program at least at its current
    level. While miniscule in terms of the overall Federal budget,
    WaterSense has an outsize beneficial impact on local communities like
    Thornton.
        Since 2006, WaterSense partnerships have saved more than 3 trillion
    gallons of water. Additionally, WaterSense labeled products have saved
    over 400 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and approximately $65
    billion in water and energy bills for Americans in every State.
        Using water efficiently makes sense for consumers, communities, and
    the environment as populations are faced with supply issues, aging
    infrastructure, extreme weather, and growth. It is critical to fund the
    WaterSense Program at the very minimum of the fiscal year 2019 funding
    level of $3.1 million or higher in the fiscal year 2020 budget to
    support utilities and consumers in the efforts to conserve this vital
    resource. Public and private partners, municipalities, and utilities
    across the Nation rely on WaterSense labeled products for conservation
    and efficiency programs.
        For all of these reasons, we believe that the WaterSense Program is
    deserving of your support to fund at $3.1 million or higher. Thank you
    for your consideration.

    Sincerely,

    Heidi K. Williams
    Mayor--City of Thornton
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the Humane Society of the United States, Humane
             Society Legislative Fund, and Doris Day Animal League
        Thank you for this opportunity to offer testimony on matters of
    importance to our organizations. We urge the subcommittee to address
    the following requests in the fiscal year 2020 Department of Interior,
    Environment, and Related Agencies budget:

      --EPA New Approach Methodologies development and implementation:
            strong funding
      --BLM, Wild Horse and Burro Program: (1) $135,000,000, contingent on
            immediate implementation of a management program based on four
            prongs detailed below; (2) fiscal year 2019 enacted language to
            protect wild horses and burros from slaughter
      --USFS, Wild Horse and Burro Program: fiscal year 2019 enacted
            language to protect USFS wild horses and burros from slaughter
      --FWS, Multinational Species Conservation Fund: $15,000,000, with no
            funds from conservation programs to promote trophy hunting,
            trade in animal parts, or other consumptive uses of wildlife
      --FWS, Office of International Affairs: $18,000,000
      --FWS, Office of Law Enforcement: $85,000,000

        We also request that the budget exclude any language that would in
    any way impede efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, relax
    regulations on imports of sport-hunted trophies, or undermine the
    Endangered Species Act. In addition, we request a block on funds for
    the International Wildlife Conservation Council. Further, we request
    that any ESA-related funds be directed toward the following FWS
    programs: Listing; Recovery; Planning and Consultation; Conservation
    and Restoration; and the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation
    Fund.
    environmental protection agency--new approach methodologies development
                               and implementation
        Thousands of chemicals are currently used, and hundreds of new ones
    are introduced each year, for which EPA needs to conduct toxicity
    assessments. The EPA is also tasked with evaluating and registering
    pesticides as well as evaluating chemicals for possible endocrine
    activity. In addition, since 2016, there is new mandate to develop and
    implement non-vertebrate test methods for chemical safety evaluation
    under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). To address these needs,
    EPA must shift significant focus to New Approach Methodologies (NAM)--
    defined by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences as
    ``non-animal technology, methodology, approach, or combination thereof
    that can be used to provide information on chemical hazard and risk
    assessment'' and by EPA as equivalent to the non-vertebrate test
    methods defined in in the revised TSCA.
        The EPA's National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), in
    collaboration with the National Institute of Environmental Health
    Sciences, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, and
    the Food and Drug Administration, has developed an extensive database
    of chemical safety information, is screening thousands of chemicals
    using hundreds of high-throughput non-animal methods, and is developing
    improved models for estimating exposure. Although these newly
    developing NAMs are beginning to reduce animal use while improving the
    speed and accuracy of chemical evaluation relevant to several programs,
    further development and implementation is necessary to effectively
    carry out EPAs mandates.
        We support strong funding of NCCT and other programs within EPA's
    Office of Research and Development that focus on development and
    implementation of NAMs in order for EPA to fulfill its mandates and
    assure a more efficient and relevant chemicals safety assessment
    process.
            bureau of land management--wild horse and burro program
        The HSUS is one of the leading advocates for the protection and
    welfare of wild horses and burros in the United States, with a long
    history of working collaboratively with BLM--the agency mandated to
    protect America's wild horses and burros--on the development of
    effective and humane management techniques.
        For years, the HSUS has strongly cautioned against continuing to
    gather large numbers of wild horses and burros from our rangelands
    annually without implementing any program for suppressing population
    growth. This approach has led BLM into a continuous cycle of roundups
    and removals, even as long-term, cost-efficient, and humane management
    strategies, such as fertility control, are readily available.
        Because of this strategy, BLM has long removed many more wild
    horses and burros from the range than it could expect to adopt, while
    simultaneously being unable to stabilize on-range populations.
    Consequently, the cost of the wild horse and burro program has
    continued to grow, without any benefit to wild horses, to the
    government, or to our public rangelands.
        To move the agency away from this failed paradigm, appropriations
    language in the past few years has requested that BLM create a long-
    term, humane, and financially sustainable management path that
    incorporates large-scale use of fertility control tools. This approach
    is supported by the National Academy of Sciences report, which called
    for increased use of on-the-range management tools, including the
    fertility control vaccine Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP). Further,
    studies have shown that incorporating fertility control into the
    management of wild horses and burros would significantly lower the
    program's carrying costs. A 2008 paper determined that on-the-range
    contraception could reduce total wild horse and burro management costs
    by 14 percent, saving $6.1 million per year. In addition, the results
    of a paper describing an economic model commissioned by the HSUS
    indicates that treating wild horses on one hypothetical Herd Management
    Area (HMA) with PZP could save BLM approximately $5 million dollars
    over 12 years, while achieving and maintaining Appropriate Management
    Levels of 874 horses. Since BLM estimates that almost 82,000 wild
    horses roam in the United States, PZP use could save tens of millions
    of dollars if applied broadly across all HMAs.
        However, instead of pursuing Congressional recommendations to
    increase the use of fertility control tools, BLM has consistently
    failed to implement any humane management plan. In fact, in 2018 the
    agency treated only 702 horses with fertility control out of an
    estimated rangeland population of approximately 82,000--less than 1
    percent of the population.
        The program must be altered to ensure that wild horses and burros
    are managed humanely--and that populations begin to gradually decline.
    As such, we recommend a sustainable management program which should
    include four prongs:

        1.  Conduct targeted gathers and removals at densely populated HMAs
    to reduce herd size in the short term.
        2.  Treat gathered horses with fertility control prior to returning
    to the range. This program should continue until 90 percent of the
    mares on the range have been treated and continued consistent fertility
    control is implemented.
        3.  Relocate horses in holding facilities, and those taken off the
    range to large cost-effective pasture facilities funded through public-
    private partnerships.
        4.  Promote adoptions in order to reduce captive populations and
    costs.

        We ask that you fund the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program at
    $135,000,000, contingent on the agency's immediate implementation of a
    management program based on the four points listed above.
        We request the same language barring BLM wild horses and burros
    from being sent to slaughter that figured in the fiscal year 2019
    Appropriations bill: ``Appropriations herein made shall not be
    available for the destruction of healthy, unadopted, wild horses and
    burros that results in their destruction for processing into commercial
    products,'' (Division E, p. 7, lines 5-10).
        We also request the same protections for wild horses and burros
    transferred to other agencies that were included in the fiscal year
    2019 Appropriations bill, ensuring that transferred wild horses and
    burros shall not be: destroyed in a way that results in their
    destruction into commercial products; sold or otherwise transferred in
    a way that results in their destruction for processing into commercial
    products; or euthanized except upon the recommendation of a licensed
    veterinarian, in cases of severe injury, illness, or advanced age
    (Division G, p. 61-62, lines 20-15).
                  forest service--wild horse and burro program
        We request inclusion of language barring USFS wild horses and
    burros from being sent to slaughter that mirrors the language that
    appeared for the BLM in the fiscal year 2019 Appropriations bill:
    ``Appropriations herein made shall not be available for the destruction
    of healthy, unadopted, wild horses and burros that results in their
    destruction for processing into commercial products.''
       fish and wildlife service--multinational species conservation fund
        We urge the subcommittee to appropriate $15 million for the MSCF,
    which supports critical conservation programs for some of our world's
    most iconic species: African and Asian elephants, rhinos, tigers, great
    apes, and sea turtles.
        The HSUS joins a broad coalition of organizations in support of
    MSCF, while asking that proceeds of MSCF semi-postal stamps remain
    supplementary to annual appropriations.
        While we wholeheartedly support continued funding for MSCF, we are
    concerned about past incidents and oppose any future use of funds from
    these conservation programs to promote trophy hunting, trade in animal
    parts, and other consumptive uses--including live capture for trade,
    captive breeding, entertainment, or for the public display industry--
    under the guise of conservation. The use of MSCF grants must be
    consistent with the spirit of its authorizing law.
           fish and wildlife service--office of international affairs
        We request that you appropriate $18 million for OIA, whose programs
    provide critical resources to help stakeholders on the ground fight
    wildlife trafficking and poaching. In particular, funds will be used
    for comprehensive and holistic solutions in other countries to mitigate
    the threats of wildlife poaching and trafficking--including community
    engagement, law enforcement, reducing consumer demand for trafficked
    wildlife, and international collaboration.
        In the past year, the American public has reacted with dismay and
    disapproval to the administration's actions to allow increased imports
    of sport-hunted trophies into the United States. We ask that the
    subcommittee exclude any language from the Appropriations bill that
    would relax regulations on imports of such trophies. We also request
    the subcommittee to urge the Fish and Wildlife Service to refrain from
    relaxing regulations on imports of such trophies.
              fish and wildlife service--office of law enforcement
        We urge the subcommittee to fund OLE at $85 million. The United
    States is among the world's largest consumers of illegal wildlife,
    underscoring the importance of OLE's work fighting transnational and
    domestic wildlife crime.
        Accomplishments from the past year illustrate how OLE has
    capitalized on past investments to make progress toward these goals.
    The OLE has ongoing operations to combat the illegal trade of elephant
    ivory, glass eels, and other wildlife products. Operation Crash, aimed
    at rhino horn trafficking, secured the September 2017 conviction of a
    California man for selling rhino horn. In January 2018, another
    investigation yielded the conviction of two Florida men for stealing
    more than 650 sea turtle eggs from their nests.
        We also ask that the bill exclude language to weaken the
    enforcement or implementation of the June 6, 2016 rule combating ivory
    trade in the United States (81 Fed. Reg. 36387).
     fish and wildlife service--international wildlife conservation council
        We urge the subcommittee to block all funding for the International
    Wildlife Conservation Council (IWCC). The IWCC was established under
    the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2) but violates its
    criteria in several ways. The council is not essential, as it is
    duplicative of past and present councils. It is not balanced or
    protected from undue influence of special interests, as almost all of
    its nongovernmental members come from the world of hunting and have
    personal, financial, or other vested interests in loosening
    restrictions on hunting wildlife internationally. Further, the IWCC is
    not in the public interest. As such, the IWCC is not a responsible use
    of American taxpayers' money.
                             endangered species act
        The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is fundamental to the protection
    of our planet's most imperiled animals. This law, which is supported by
    90 percent of American voters, has prevented the extinction of 99
    percent of the species under its care, including the bald eagle. Under
    the ESA, the responsibility to list and delist species lies with
    Federal agencies, which must make these listing decisions based on the
    best available science. The authority to make these science-based
    management decisions should remain with Federal agencies.
        We ask that any funding related to the implementation of the ESA be
    directed toward the following programs: Listing; Recovery; Planning and
    Consultation; Conservation and Restoration; and the Cooperative
    Endangered Species Conservation Fund.
        We also ask that the fiscal year 2020 budget exclude any language
    preventing agencies from making listing or delisting decisions based on
    sound science, or that otherwise undermine the ESA.
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the International Fund for Animal Welfare
        On behalf of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and
    our members and supporters nationwide, thank you for the opportunity to
    offer testimony on the fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment and
    Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The International Fund for Animal
    IFAW has 17 offices globally and works in more than 40 countries around
    the world. IFAW takes a holistic approach to innovating solutions for
    tough conservation challenges like conflicts between humans and
    wildlife, and illegal wildlife trafficking. Recognizing the unbreakable
    link between animals and human wellbeing, we support and empower
    communities to coexist with and value native wildlife and help those
    communities develop tools to protect their wild heritage. IFAW
    appreciates this subcommittee's support in the current fiscal year 2019
    in providing funding for many important conservation programs, and
    requests your continued support for these programs in fiscal year 2020,
    including full funding for the Endangered Species Act, the
    Multinational Species Conservation Funds ($18 million), the
    International Affairs program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
    ($18 million), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law
    Enforcement ($81 million). With respect to the Endangered Species Act
    (ESA), IFAW requests (1) the subcommittee commission a report on proper
    funding levels necessary to fully implement the Act; (2) until a report
    has been finalized, raise ESA funding in line with any increases to
    defense spending; and (3) deny support for any projects that seek to
    circumvent the ESA or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
    Finally, we urge the subcommittee to prioritize infrastructure projects
    that are sustainable and resilient.
        Healthy, biodiverse ecosystems are fundamentally necessary to human
    health and wellbeing; they provide a bulwark against catastrophic
    events, increase or resilience, and serve as an insurance policy
    against future loss. Unfortunately, wildlife and wild lands are in
    peril around the world. Trafficking in wildlife and wildlife parts
    remains the fourth most lucrative criminal enterprise worldwide. Here
    at home, years of scarce funding have left an overwhelming backlog of
    species awaiting evaluation for protections under the Endangered
    Species Act (ESA). And just this month, the Intergovernmental Science-
    Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released
    a summary of its landmark Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and
    Ecosystem Services. The comprehensive report, authored by more than 145
    experts from 50 countries over 3 years, warns that ``1 million animal
    and plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within
    decades, more than ever before in human history''.\i\ This
    unprecedented threat to biodiversity makes all of us more vulnerable,
    and imperils the very fabric of this planet we call home.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \i\ https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-
    decline-unprecedented-report/
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        However, at IFAW we see reasons for hope. If we invest wisely now,
    we can begin to stem the tide of extinction. And by doing so, we will
    help to ensure plentiful food, clean drinking water, and breathable air
    for ourselves and future generations. Moreover, we will save financial
    resources overall: it is always more expensive to treat disease
    outbreaks than it is to prevent them, or to restore a damaged landscape
    than to preserve an undamaged ecosystem. The good news is that many of
    the programs that are best able to address today's grim challenges fall
    within the jurisdiction of this subcommittee.
        No NEPA or ESA Waivers: Broadly, IFAW urges this subcommittee to
    consider the health of wildlife and the environment in all of its
    actions. At a minimum, no federally-supported construction project,
    including disaster remediation projects, should be exempted from such
    fundamental laws as the ESA and NEPA. NEPA and ESA analyses protect
    against substantial social, environmental, and economic harm. These
    reviews allow construction projects to move forward while ensuring full
    disclosure of potentially harmful outcomes, informed decisionmaking,
    effective design, and risk mitigation. There has been a distressing
    trend to exempt projects from NEPA, ESA, or other environmental reviews
    and we urge the subcommittee to reverse this trend by denying funding
    for any plan that does not include a commitment to bedrock conservation
    and environmental reviews.
        Infrastructure: As Congress moves to address our aging
    infrastructure, we have an unparalleled opportunity to invest in
    environmental safeguards and conservation innovations that will ensure
    American wellbeing and security, and create jobs and prosperity for the
    citizens of today and for many future generations. IFAW urges this
    subcommittee to review any infrastructure plans within your
    jurisdiction through the lens of wildlife conservation and
    environmental sustainability. We advocate prioritizing funding for
    projects that: rely on sustainable or natural materials to increase
    infrastructure resiliency and longevity; reintroduce or preserve native
    flora; create resilient and sustainable water and waste management
    systems, particularly through implementing natural alternatives like
    wetlands, dune restoration, and natural vegetation buffers; and reduce
    wildlife conflict using wildlife corridors and crossings.
        Additionally, natural areas on public lands provide numerous
    valuable ecosystem services to the American people including clean
    water and water purification, filtration and storage; flood control;
    soil stabilization; climate regulation; wildlife habitat and corridors;
    and recreation opportunities. Unfortunately, some existing
    infrastructure may threaten ecosystem services, especially if in a
    degraded condition. For example, national forests contain more than
    380,000 miles of roads \ii\ (more than 7 times as many miles as the
    interstate highway system \iii\), some 7000 bridges \iv\ and over 1,700
    dams. Efforts must be made to repair or in some cases remove
    infrastructure that poses a threat to ecosystem and public interest
    values. As with all infrastructure projects, we urge the subcommittee
    to give preference to projects that use sustainable and natural
    materials that provide better resilience to changing conditions.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \ii\ According to USDA that is an estimated 380,000 miles of Forest
    Service roads not including public roads such a State, county and
    private roads maintained by others on National Forest System. https://
    www.fs.fed.us/eng/road_mgt/factsheet.shtml last observed 1/24/19
        \iii\ According to the Federal Highway Administration: Currently,
    the Interstate System is 46,876 miles long https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/
    interstate/faq.cfm#question3
        \iv\ https://www.fs.fed.us/eng/road_mgt/factsheet.shtml
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                u.s. fish and wildlife service priority programs
        Endangered Species Act: In spite of years of relatively flat
    funding, our Nations' most important conservation law, the Endangered
    Species Act, remains effective and has been successful in protecting 99
    percent of listed species. More than 2,300 plant and animal species are
    currently listed. Saving species from extinction is more than just
    about preserving iconic wildlife for generations to come. We are also
    protecting integral parts of the ecosystem that provides the air we
    breathe, the water we drink, the parks we enjoy, and the medicine we
    need. The Endangered Species Act protects wildlife within the United
    States, and species around the globe by requiring agencies to ensure
    that federally supported international activities protect species
    survival and preserve important habitat and by generally prohibiting
    the import of listed species.
        The ESA has faced frequent attacks in recent years, through
    spending riders, authorizing legislation, and administrative action.
    IFAW thanks this subcommittee for its efforts to fend off
    appropriations riders in past bills, and asks that any riders aimed at
    undermining the ESA be excluded from the fiscal year 2020 Act.
        Additionally, while species face ever-mounting pressures from
    climate change, habitat loss, and other factors, funding for the ESA
    has not kept pace with the need. There is a backlog of species awaiting
    consideration for protections under the Act. IFAW urges the
    subcommittee to direct the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to
    provide on funding levels necessary for FWS to fully implement the ESA.
    In the meantime, we ask the subcommittee to increase funding for ESA
    programs at a rate commensurate with increases to defense spending in
    order to better reflect the increasing need of imperiled species.
        FWS International Affairs: The FWS International Affairs (IA)
    program is tasked with coordinating domestic and international efforts
    to protect and restore wildlife and ecosystems. By overseeing domestic
    conservation laws and international conservation treaties, including
    the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES),
    the IA program has become a keystone of U.S. leadership on the
    international stage. Importantly, the IA program supports transboundary
    regional projects as well as those that focus on target species,
    promoting habitat conservation and restoration in areas where wildlife
    is most at risk from habitat loss. IFAW requests $18 million for this
    important program.
        Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF): IFAW is part of a
    diverse coalition of groups, including animal welfare, environmental,
    sporting, and industry organizations, that support the MSCF. These
    funds protect tigers, rhinos, African and Asian elephants, great apes,
    and marine turtles, all of which are in constant danger from illegal
    poaching and wildlife trafficking, habitat destruction, climate change,
    and other pressures. Wild members of these species may live outside our
    borders, but these iconic animals remain important to the American
    people. None of us wants this to be the generation to preside over the
    extinction of elephants or tigers in the wild. MSCF programs have
    helped to sustain wildlife populations by funding groundbreaking
    projects that combat poaching, reduce human-wildlife conflict and
    protect the vital habitat of priority species. By promoting community
    engagement and combatting trafficking, the MSCF programs also promote
    the rule of law abroad and contribute to our domestic security. These
    programs are highly efficient, with low administrative costs ensuring
    that more than 95 percent of appropriated funds were distributed
    through grants in fiscal year 2017. The MSCF received a small increase
    in fiscal year 2019, but with pressures on these species mounting, IFAW
    requests that $18 million be appropriated for the MSCF for fiscal year
    2020.
        Office of Law Enforcement: The U.S. remains one of the world's
    largest illegal markets for wildlife and wildlife products. Our
    leadership within the global community is also a key driver in
    convincing nations around the globe to invest in protecting endangered
    wildlife. The Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) within the FWS is on the
    front lines of wildlife crime, inspecting wildlife shipments,
    conducting investigations, and enforcing Federal wildlife laws to
    protect fish, wildlife, plants, and ecosystems. The OLE combats
    poaching and wildlife trafficking, breaking up international criminal
    rings that not only harm wildlife, but may also engage in other illicit
    activities. Among other things, the small but mighty force at OLE sends
    experienced FWS attaches to strategic regions where they combat
    wildlife trafficking by supporting and advising foreign partners. This
    program is critical both to domestic and international conservation
    efforts and to U.S.security. IFAW requests $81 million for OLE.
        In closing, thank you for the opportunity to share IFAW's priority
    requests to promote conservation in the fiscal year 2020 Interior, the
    Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Wildlife and their
    habitats are more than our national heritage, they are essential to
    human health and happiness. We appreciate the continued support of this
    subcommittee for conservation efforts globally and within the United
    States. With your support, we look forward to a bright and healthy
    future for generations of wildlife lovers and all Americans. Thank you.
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the Interstate Mining Compact Commission
        My name is Thomas L. Clarke and I serve as Executive Director of
    the Interstate Mining Compact Commission. My address is 459 Carlisle
    Drive, Herndon, VA 20190. My email is tclarke@imcc.isa.us. I appreciate
    the opportunity to present this statement to the subcommittee regarding
    the views of the Interstate Mining Compact Commission's 26 member
    States on the fiscal year 2020 Budget Request for the Office of Surface
    Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) within the U.S. Department
    of the Interior. In its proposed budget, OSMRE is requesting $43.9
    million to fund Title V grants to States for the implementation of
    their regulatory programs, a reduction of $24.7 million below the
    fiscal year 2019 enacted level. We believe this is inadequate and urge
    that funding be continued at the fiscal year 2019 enacted level of
    $68.59 million.
        The Compact is comprised of 26 States that together produce some 95
    percent of the Nation's coal, as well as other important minerals. The
    Compact's purposes are to advance the protection and restoration of
    land, water and other resources affected by mining through the
    encouragement of programs in each of the party States that will achieve
    comparable results in protecting, conserving and improving the
    usefulness of natural resources and to assist in achieving and
    maintaining an efficient, productive and economically viable mining
    industry.
        OSMRE has projected an amount of $43.9 million for Title V grants
    to States in fiscal year 2020, an amount which is matched by the
    States. These grants support the implementation of State regulatory
    programs under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA)
    and as such are essential to the full and effective operation of those
    programs.\1\ Pursuant to these primacy programs, the States have the
    most direct and critical responsibilities for conducting regulatory
    operations to minimize the impact of coal extraction operations on
    people and the environment. The States accomplish this through a
    combination of permitting, inspection and enforcement duties,
    designating lands as unsuitable for mining operations, and ensuring
    that timely reclamation occurs after mining.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ OSMRE recognizes the significant role played by the states in
    its budget justification document on page 44 where it notes that
    ``primacy states have the most direct and critical responsibilities for
    conducting regulatory operations to minimize the impact of coal
    extraction operations on people and the environment. The states have
    the capabilities and knowledge to regulate the lands within their
    borders.''
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        In fiscal year 2019, Congress approved $68.590 million for State
    and Tribal Title V grants pursuant to the Omnibus Appropriations Bill.
    This continued a much-needed trend whereby the amount appropriated for
    these regulatory grants aligned with the demonstrated needs of the
    States. The States are greatly encouraged by the amount approved by
    Congress for Title V grant funding over the past several fiscal years.
    These grants had been stagnant for many years and the gap between the
    States' requests and what they received was widening. This debilitating
    trend was compounding the problems caused by inflation and other costs
    beyond the control of the States, thus undermining State efforts to
    realize needed program improvements and enhancements and jeopardizing
    their efforts to minimize the potential adverse impacts of coal
    extraction operations on people and the environment. OSMRE acknowledges
    the importance of this funding on page 43 of its budget justification
    document where the agency explains that ``primacy States will continue
    to need a diverse and multidisciplinary cadre of personnel skilled in
    scientific and engineering areas to review mine permits, determine
    whether performance bond coverage and amounts are sufficient to ensure
    reclamation, conduct mine site inspections and implement enforcement
    actions when necessary.''
        In past budget requests, OSMRE displayed a pattern of proposing
    inadequate funding for State Title V regulatory programs. Congress
    consistently rejected the proposed reductions and funded the programs
    at amounts that more closely aligned with the States' projected needs.
    OSMRE's fiscal year 2020 budget proposal once again moves the grants
    marker in the wrong direction by continuing to propose increasing cuts
    in regulatory grants, year after year, that are rejected by Congress
    year after year. The proposed cut for fiscal year 2020 is $8.6 million
    more than the cut OSMRE proposed for fiscal year 2019, (which was
    double the cut it had proposed in fiscal year 2018). OSMRE States that
    ``this request fully funds the projected 2020 activity requirements,
    based on a downward trend in State grant execution and an historical
    return of unexecuted appropriated funds at the end of the grant cycle
    each year.''
        What OSMRE fails to note in its analysis is that, given fiscal
    constraints on State budgets, some States have only recently been able
    to move beyond hiring and salary freezes and restrictions on equipment
    and vehicle purchases, all of which have inhibited the ability of some
    States to spend the full amount of their Federal grant money in some
    years. With many States now recovering enough to utilize their full
    grant amount, it is imperative that funding be maintained at a level
    that meets the States' estimates of program needs. Those estimates
    reflect the ongoing work associated with State program implementation
    including permit reviews, inspections and enforcement at all
    inspectable units. Even with the downturn in coal production, the
    States' workload has not decreased--and in some cases has increased
    given the tenuous condition of some coal companies. In the latter
    situation, higher levels of vigilance are necessary to insure
    contemporaneous reclamation and abatement of violations.
        OSMRE goes on to note that it will ``continue to support State
    regulatory grant requests by re-distributing the available prior year
    funds as needed.'' We believe this plan to be shortsighted in that it
    fails to consider the improving fiscal conditions in many States and
    the damaging precedent set by appropriating suboptimal grant amounts.
    Our analysis of State program funding needs for fiscal year 2020 based
    on recent estimates indicate that a full Federal appropriation of $68.6
    million will be required. In some States, additional matching Federal
    funds may be necessary to meet program needs. It should be noted that
    in the future, the States' needs may increase. By fiscal year 2021, we
    can expect that Tennessee will have attained primacy and add another
    million dollars or so to the States' grant needs.
        Furthermore, there is no guarantee that these carryover funds will
    be available into the future or that they would not be reprogrammed for
    other purposes. Congress should specifically mandate through report
    language that all carryover funds from past fiscal years can only be
    used to fund State regulatory program needs. It would also be
    beneficial to State program implementation if OSMRE was authorized to
    utilize these carryover funds for State program enhancement activities
    (without matching requirements) for such critical program topics as
    electronic permitting, mine mapping, and benchmarking workshops.
        We acknowledge that the amount of carryover funding specifically
    targeted for State regulatory grants has increased over the years, to
    approximately $28 million according to OSMRE's estimates. This is the
    result of two factors: (1) the fact that appropriations for State
    regulatory grants are treated as 2-year money, thereby providing
    flexibility for the use of these moneys and (2) a few tough years where
    States faced particular challenges in obtaining State share match
    moneys and/or expending grant funding before the end of the Federal
    fiscal year. With an improving economy and the ability to better manage
    State program expenditures, States are expending almost all of what
    they receive. Furthermore, having a cushion of available carryover
    funding from year to year provides the certainty and confidence that
    both OSMRE and the States require in managing funding for these
    critical programs.
        Clear indications from Congress that reliable, consistent funding
    will continue into the future has done much to stimulate support for
    these programs by State legislatures and budget officers who, in the
    face of difficult fiscal climates and constraints, have had to deal
    with the challenge of matching Federal grant dollars with State funds.
    This is particularly true for those States whose match is partially
    based on permit fees from the mining industry, where significant
    reductions in permitting activity translate to fewer permit fees (but
    not in the amount of regulatory work for State regulatory agencies).
    Recall that any cut in Federal funding generally translates to an
    additional cut of an equal amount for overall program funding for many
    States, especially those without Federal lands, since these States can
    generally only match what they receive in Federal money.
        We are encouraged with language in OSMRE's budget justification
    document that ``in furtherance of cooperative Federalism, OSMRE will
    continue its oversight steering committee with State Regulatory
    Authorities to discuss impediments to meaningful and effective
    oversight including revising current OSMRE oversight directions
    [sic].'' IMCC approached OSMRE in September of 2017 to pursue these and
    other programmatic concerns, including the processing of State program
    amendments, NEPA requirements and funding protocols. Since that time,
    the States have engaged in a series of meetings with OSMRE to advance
    our common goals under SMCRA. However, the proof is in actual
    implementation of these laudable goals. Based on our experience with
    program operations, some of the very areas OSMRE identifies as reasons
    for its oversight activity are either dependent on State involvement
    (training) or have seen little in the way of progress over the years
    (State program amendment review and approval). We are hopeful that our
    recent engagement with OSMRE on these critical program elements will
    come to fruition, unlike past efforts which either stalled or lacked
    leadership support.
        The overall performance of the States as detailed in OSMRE's annual
    State program evaluation reports, together with the fact that
    nationwide, 90 percent of the sites inspected did not have off-site
    impacts, demonstrates that the States are implementing their programs
    effectively and in accordance with the purposes and objectives of
    SMCRA. In our view, this suggests that OSMRE is adequately
    accomplishing its statutory oversight obligations with current Federal
    program funding and that any increased workloads are likely to fall
    upon the States, which have primary responsibility for implementing
    appropriate adjustments to their programs identified during Federal
    oversight. To the extent that OSMRE is looking for ways to improve and
    enhance the overall implementation of SMCRA at both the State and
    Federal level, we urge the agency to move forward with the findings and
    recommendations that IMCC has presented to OSMRE to address the
    continuing fiscal impacts on program implementation, particularly with
    respect to duplicative inspection and enforcement requirements.
        For all the above reasons, we urge Congress to approve not less
    than $68.6 million for State and Tribal Title V regulatory grants in
    fiscal year 2020, the same amount enacted by Congress over the past few
    fiscal years. In doing so, Congress will continue its commitment to
    ensuring the States have the resources they need to continue their work
    on the forefront of environmental protection and preservation of public
    health and safety.
        We are concerned about the proposal to increased funding for the
    ``Enhanced Geomine Project'' by $500,000. The Geomine Project was a
    pilot program covering three of IMCC's member States in the Appalachian
    region. We understand OSMRE abandoned more this pilot program than 5
    years ago. Without more information regarding the intended use of these
    funds, we question whether expenditure of this money on an abandoned
    project is appropriate.
        We are pleased to see that OSMRE's proposed budget generally
    maintains the level of expenditures for the National Technical Training
    Program (NTTP) and the Technical Information and Professional Service
    (TIPS), with a slight increase in funding for Title Regulatory
    Programs. The States rely heavily on the NTTP and TIPS training classes
    for their new employees and for refresher courses for more seasoned
    employees. These training programs are especially important as States
    find themselves at a point where many of their employees are finishing
    careers and must be replaced with less experienced people. Any
    adjustments to these two programs should involve the States working
    through the NTTP/TIPS Steering Committee.
        With regard to funding for State Title IV Abandoned Mine Land (AML)
    program grants, the States and Tribes should receive the mandatory
    appropriation of $188.4 million in fiscal year 2020. In its proposed
    fiscal year 2020 budget, OSMRE seeks to eliminate $115 million for the
    AML economic development pilot projects due to the fact that this
    funding ``overlaps with existing mandatory AML grants''. We believe
    that funding for pilot projects is separate and distinct from other AML
    funding sources. This funding is targeted for economic and community
    development and reuse goals. We strongly support continued funding
    (from the General Fund) for these pilot projects. We also recommend
    concerted action to reauthorize fee collection under Title IV of SMCRA
    IMCC also supports a continuation of funding for the watershed
    cooperative agreements at $1.55 million. Much valuable work has been
    accomplished through this program, especially given the matching funds
    that come from other sources besides OSMRE's share for these worthwhile
    projects.
        We appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement on the
    Office of Surface Mining's proposed budget for fiscal year 2019. We
    also endorse the statement of the National Association of Abandoned
    Mine Land Programs (NAAMLP), which goes into greater detail regarding
    the implications of OSMRE's funding for the States and Tribes related
    to the AML program. We would be happy to answer any questions.
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the Izaak Walton League of America
        The Izaak Walton League of America appreciates the opportunity to
    submit testimony for the record concerning appropriations for fiscal
    year 2020 for various agencies and programs under the jurisdiction of
    the subcommittee. The League is a national, nonprofit organization with
    more than 40,000 members and 200 local chapters nationwide. Our members
    are committed to advancing common sense policies that safeguard
    wildlife and habitat, support community-based conservation, and address
    pressing environmental issues. The following pertains to programs
    administered by the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, and
    Environmental Protection Agency.
          departments of agriculture and the interior, land and water
                            conservation fund (lwcf)
        The League requests a total of $524 million for the LWCF in fiscal
    year 2020. It is important to invest in strategic land acquisition to
    protect critical habitat, secure valuable in-holdings, and expand
    recreational access to existing Federal public lands. Dramatically
    reducing funding for LWCF, as the President's budget requests, will not
    provide meaningful savings to taxpayers because LWCF is capitalized
    with revenue from off-shore oil and gas drilling. As importantly,
    diverting resources from LWCF to offset other expenditures from the
    general treasury directly undermines the fundamental premise on which
    LWCF is based. The common sense premise that a portion of the revenue
    generated by natural resource extraction should be invested in
    conserving other natural resources at the national, regional, and State
    levels is the foundation of the fund's enactment.
        department of the interior, fish and wildlife service, national
                             wildlife refuge system
        The League joins other members of the Cooperative Alliance for
    Refuge Enhancement (CARE), a diverse coalition of 22 wildlife,
    sporting, conservation, and scientific organizations representing
    approximately 15 million of members and supporters, in requesting $514
    million for operations and maintenance of the National Wildlife Refuge
    system.
        The League and CARE groups appreciate the importance of fiscal
    discipline and making strategic spending decisions. CARE annually
    develops an estimate of the operations and maintenance budget that is
    necessary to effectively provide visitor services and law enforcement
    and conserve and manage fish, wildlife, and habitat across the refuge
    system. CARE estimates operations and maintenance needs total $900
    million annually. Although our long-term goal is to make steady
    progress toward a budget which more accurately reflects demands on the
    ground, the fiscal year 2020 request balances fiscal responsibility
    with pressing resource conservation, visitor services, and law
    enforcement needs.
    department of the interior, fish and wildlife service, state and tribal
                                wildlife grants
        The League urges the subcommittee to provide at least $71 million
    in fiscal year 2020 for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants. This amount
    equals the House subcommittee's appropriation. State Wildlife Grants
    support proactive conservation projects aimed at preventing wildlife
    from becoming endangered. Experience shows that efforts to restore
    imperiled wildlife can be particularly contentious and costly when
    action is taken only after species are formally listed as threatened or
    endangered pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. State Wildlife
    Grants augment State and community-based efforts to safeguard habitat
    and wildlife before either reaches the tipping point. The Federal
    investment leverages significant funding from private, State, and local
    sources.
    department of the interior, national park service, deferred maintenance
        The League requests the subcommittee to provide $657 million to the
    Park Service in fiscal year 2020 for addressing chronically underfunded
    maintenance and repairs. The Park Services estimates that more than $11
    billion is needed to adequately address repairs and maintenance on
    roads, buildings, utility systems, and others structures and facilities
    that have been deferred due to budget constraints. America's national
    parks provide millions of visitors with world-class experiences every
    year and have preserved some of our most iconic landscapes. Maintaining
    the infrastructure within our parks allows visitors to experience
    nature, history, and all the wonders of our national park system safely
    and comfortably. Years of underfunding have led to this huge backlog of
    maintenance and now is the time to begin to seriously address the needs
    of our world class parks.
      environmental protection agency, great lakes restoration initiative
        The League supports providing $300 million for the Great Lakes
    Restoration Initiative in fiscal year 2020. The Great Lakes provide
    drinking water to 35 million people and support jobs and recreational
    opportunities for millions more. However, the health of the Great Lakes
    is seriously threatened by untreated sewage, toxic pollution, invasive
    species, and habitat loss. The eight States that border the Lakes and
    many non-governmental organizations have invested significant resources
    to safeguard these national treasures. Sustained Federal investment at
    a significant level is also needed or the problems will only get worse
    and cost even more to fix.
        Cleaning up the Great Lakes will provide many benefits, including
    economic development in the region. Great Lakes restoration efforts
    produce at least $2 in economic return for every $1 invested.
    Restoration projects create jobs for engineers, landscape architects,
    and construction workers and improve water quality, support outdoor
    recreation, and reestablish healthy fish and wildlife habitat. These
    results lay the foundation for long-term prosperity in the region.
            environmental protection agency, chesapeake bay program
        The League asks that the subcommittee to fund the Chesapeake Bay
    Program at $73 million in fiscal year 2020, matching last year's
    enacted spending. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the
    United States and one of the largest in the world. More than 16 million
    people live within the Bay watershed. The Bay is a critical economic,
    environmental, and recreational resource for these residents and the
    Nation as a whole. However, the productivity and health of this
    nationally significant resource remain seriously impaired by nutrient
    pollution from multiple sources throughout the watershed.
        The EPA and States have launched a significant and rigorous effort
    to cut pollution and improve water quality. Few would argue that
    implementing the total maximum daily load (TMDL) will not be
    challenging or not require significant investment to reduce point and
    non-point source pollution. However, the president's budget request in
    inadequate and fails to support States, local governments, and other
    partners as they implement the TMDL. The League believes it is
    essential to provide technical and financial assistance to achieve
    results on-the-ground and secure a foundation for sustained pollution
    reductions over the long-term.
      environmental protection agency, south florida geographic initiative
        The League respectfully requests the subcommittee appropriate $1.7
    million for the South Florida Geographic Initiative for Fiscal Year
    2020. The administration's request does not meet the minimum amount
    needed annually to reduce polluted discharges from leaking septic
    systems and other toxic cesspits, adequately restore the Everglades,
    and protect drinking water for 8 million Americans living in Florida.
    Economic benefits that would come from restoration of the Everglades
    are astronomical. Gains in biodiversity, groundwater purification and
    aquifer storage, increasing property values, park visitation, carbon
    sequestration, and improved fish and wildlife habitat that would come
    from a full restoration of the Everglades, as described in the Army
    Corps' Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, would drive an
    economic increase of $46.5 billion. The EPA investment in the
    restoration of south Florida and the Everglades is an important piece
    of the strategy to restore traditional water flows, protect drinking
    water, and conserve biodiversity.
     environmental protection agency, non-point source management program
                         (clean water act section 319)
        The League is concerned that the administration has proposed severe
    reductions and even elimination for Section 319, the Non-point Source
    Management Program. These reductions are counterproductive as EPA and
    many States report that non-point source pollution is the leading cause
    of water quality problems, including harmful effects on drinking water
    supplies, recreation, fisheries and wildlife. Based on the pressing
    nature of the problem, it makes sense to invest resources that help
    States and local governments more aggressively tackle non-point source
    pollution. The League urges the subcommittee to match last year's
    funding for Section 319 at $169 million for fiscal year 2020.
        The Izaak Walton League appreciates the opportunity to testify
    about these important issues.

        [This statement was submitted by Jared Mott, Conservation
    Director.]
                                     ______

              Prepared Statement of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe
        On behalf of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, I am pleased to submit
    this written testimony on our funding priorities and requests for the
    fiscal year 2020 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Indian Health Service
    (IHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budgets. The
    S'Klallams entered into the Point-No-Point Treaty with the United
    States in January of 1855 effectively sanctioning our Tribes unique
    status as a sovereign nation and solidifying our legal standing in
    accordance with the U.S. Constitution. Our Tribe relinquished vast
    tracks of our Tribal homelands and resources in exchange for the U.S.
    Government's solemn promise to uphold and protect our Tribes inherent
    right to Self-Governance and to provide adequate resources to secure
    the well-being of our community and Tribal citizens. This trust
    responsibility is a legally enforceable fiduciary obligation on the
    part of the U.S. to protect Tribal treaty rights, lands, assets and
    resources.
        Despite the U.S. Government's trust obligations and our Tribes
    legally sanctioned rights, Federal funding and unmet needs in Tribal
    communities is at a crisis level as documented by the U.S. Commission
    on Civil Rights recently released 2018 Report, ``Broken Promises:
    Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans.'' The Report
    found that inadequate Federal funding undermines Tribal sovereignty and
    that the Federal Government's failure to uphold their trust obligations
    has resulted in American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) facing
    disproportionate challenges as compared to other Americans in health,
    education and employment outcomes that are exacerbated by insufficient
    funding. In order to address these inequities and trust violations, the
    Commission has recommended that Congress substantially invest in AI/AN
    programs and services.
        The need for providing steady, equitable, non-discretionary funding
    directly to Tribal Nations to support core government programs and
    services is well documented and we have shown time and again that the
    Federal investment in our community is a good investment. Self-
    Governance has allowed us to redesign programs and services and utilize
    the Federal investment in a way that best addresses the needs of our
    community. Some of our more notable successes include most of our
    Tribal citizens seeking secondary or higher education degrees, the
    growth of our Tribal businesses and revenue and the Tribe's status as
    the second largest employer in our region, the Northern Olympic
    Peninsula. The success we have attained demonstrates that continued
    Federal support is invaluable to growing sustainable Tribal economies
    and bolstering surrounding regional economies. Yet, as we seek to
    identify opportunities that support our goal of self-reliance, we must
    also acknowledge the barriers that impede our ability to reach our full
    potential, including, the severe and persistent underfunding of Tribal
    programs and services despite the trust obligation, the absence of data
    to support funding requests for Tribal programs and services,
    management weaknesses \1\ and the consistently late distribution of
    funding. All of these, and many other factors attribute to the
    persistent shortfalls and overwhelming unmet needs/unfulfilled Federal
    obligations in Tribal communities.\2\ Data collection for Tribal
    programs throughout the Federal system is substandard or non-existent
    and it is difficult, if not impossible, to show program success and
    justify the need for program increases if funding is not received in a
    timely fashion. Recently, the BIA announced a moratorium on the
    collection of unmet needs data for Tribal programs and services. We
    view this action by the agency to be inconsistent with their trust
    responsibility. The agencies need to be held accountable and directed
    to work in partnership with Tribes to collect data that quantifies the
    true unmet needs in Indian country with credible metrics that will
    provide an accurate profile of the unmet needs in Indian country.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ GAO High Risk Reports on BIA, IHS and BIE--GAO-17-589T, GAO-17-
    790T, and GAO-18-616T.
        \2\ GAO-19-87 Interior Should Address Factors Hindering Tribal
    Administration of Federal Programs.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Tribal Specific Appropriation Priorities

    1.  $101.4 million increase for the Indian General Assistance Program
    (IGAP) and Beyond GAP EPA
    2.  $50 million Puget Sound EPA

        $101.4 million increase--Indian General Assistance Program (GAP)--
    and Beyond GAP EPA.--Although our Treaty guarantees our Tribe and its
    citizens the right to hunt, fish, and gather shellfish in our usual and
    accustomed areas that right is meaningless if there are no elk to hunt,
    fish to catch, or clams/oysters and berries to harvest. The Indian
    General Assistance Program has allowed us to make tremendous strides in
    advancing techniques that identify and reduce pollution, improve water
    quality, assess the status of public health needs, restore habitat, and
    replenish depleted fish and shellfish stocks, that are on the brink of
    extinction. The Beyond GAP initiative will move the Federal/Tribal
    partnership from capacity building to enable implementation of
    comprehensive and consistent environmental programs.
        $50 million--Puget Sound EPA.--The Geographic/Ecosystems program
    provides funding for our Tribe to protect and restore the Puget Sound
    ecosystem, including, restoration of the Olympia oyster habitat with
    hatchery-propagated oyster seed, habitat restoration, floodplain
    restoration and protection. This funding enables Tribes to implement a
    wide range of projects aimed at improving the health of Puget Sound and
    Tribal Treaty Resources.

    National Requests and Recommendations for the BIA and IHS

    1.  Advanced Appropriations for Tribal Programs and Services
    2.  Increase Funding for Tribal Base Budgets/Recurring Programs
    3.  Invest in Tribal Infrastructure

        Advanced Appropriations for Tribal Programs and Services.--
    Continuing Resolutions and late distributions of funding,
    sequestration, across the board budgetary rescissions and/or
    reductions, spending caps and numerous and prolonged government
    shutdowns have further exacerbated the funding crisis in Indian
    country. Although Tribal Nations are resilient, the abrupt disruptions
    of our governmental services due to a delay or lapse in Federal funding
    attenuates our ability to protect the health and well being of our
    communities and citizens. The recent government shutdown put our Treaty
    rights at risk jeopardizing the survival of our resources and, in turn,
    our culture, inhibited our economic development potential, our ability
    to recruit and retain staff, and delayed the process for the
    reacquisition of our Tribal homelands.
        In order to keep programs and services fully operational, we had to
    identify alternative funding resources whether through Tribal funds,
    loans or other means without any assurances that we would be reimbursed
    for these expenditures. Providing appropriations 1 year in advance will
    mitigate the adverse financial effects of Federal budgetary
    uncertainties on Tribes and enable the BIA and IHS to uphold their
    fiduciary obligations and more adequately and effectively serve AI/AN.
    Tribes will also be able to engage in more effective strategic
    planning, spend funds more efficiently, grow our Tribal economy and
    businesses and increase the quality of care and well-being of our
    Tribal citizens and community.
        Increase Funding for Tribal Base Budgets/Recurring Programs.--For
    over two decades, there has been funding reductions/permanent
    rescissions of numerous Tribal programs and services in order to pay
    for tax cuts, wars, natural disasters and technology upgrades. These
    budgetary rescissions are permanent, unsupportable reductions to Tribal
    base programs which are core governmental functions. When you factor in
    the inflationary rate, Tribes are not even maintaining level funding--
    we are losing ground. Compounding the fiscal volatility of Federal
    funding, there has been a growing trend among agencies to fund Tribal
    programs and services with grant dollars rather than provide base
    recurring funding. Grant funding undermines Self-Governance because it
    is short term funding which creates uncertainty in planning, imposes
    extensive regulation and reporting requirements and restricts the use
    of indirect costs. We would urge Congress to increase funding for
    Tribal base budgets by funding Tribal Priority Allocations and other
    Recurring Programs because it will benefit all Tribes as opposed to
    creating more grants that will only benefit a few Tribes.
        Invest in Tribal Infrastructure.--Tribal governments and their
    citizens face profound infrastructure challenges that are acute and
    longstanding. The breadth and severity of the unmet infrastructure
    needs are measured by the high rates of injury and death in our
    communities. Decaying, unsafe infrastructure is not only a public
    health issue but an impediment to economic development and job growth
    and reflects a failure of the government to uphold its trust
    obligations. Increased Federal funding and investments could effectuate
    Tribal infrastructure development efforts.

    National Requests and Recommendations for the BIA

    1.  $10 million Natural Resources TPA
    2.  $50 million Economic Development TPA
    3.  $25 million Indian Guaranteed Loan Program/Surety Bonds

        $10 million--Natural Resources (TPA).--Climate change is having
    profound impacts on Tribes and our Tribal Treaty Rights are at risk
    because of our close relationship with nature we are the most at risk.
    The vitality and sustainability of our Natural Resources is integral to
    the health and welfare of our Tribal citizens, communities, culture and
    religious practices and economies. The Federal investment in Tribal
    Natural Resources can only continue to foster Tribal self-sufficiency
    and support Tribal economies by cultivating cross jurisdictional
    partnerships with State and local governments that create jobs and
    promote and advance trade. This investment also advances several
    ancillary but equally important cultural and religious practices,
    creates community cohesiveness and improves the environmental
    conditions on our Tribal homelands and in surrounding communities.
        $50 million--Economic Development (TPA).--Increased funding,
    reduced regulatory burdens and greater access to financing tools and
    incentives will allow us to continue to diversify our successful
    business portfolio and expand our revenue generating opportunities
    resulting in a stronger Tribal economy and less dependence on the
    Federal component of our resources. A $50 million investment in
    economic development would allow our Tribe to leverage funds and invest
    in business opportunities projected to create 500 jobs for Tribal
    citizens and our non-Indian neighbors.
        $25 million--Indian Guaranteed Loan Program/Surety Bonds.--The
    Federal Government is in a unique position to help advance Tribal
    projects and provide sustainable economic opportunities for Indian
    businesses and Tribal governments through the Loan Subsidy Program and
    Surety Bonding for Indian contractors. Loan guarantees are an
    attractive financial tool because Tribes are able to leverage limited
    Federal funding in a prudent budget effective way and promote economic
    growth by investing in projects that are capable of generating their
    own revenue streams. Federal credit programs should continue to
    facilitate Tribal access to private capital markets where Tribes
    frequently encounter market resistance to conventional lending.

    National Requests and Recommendations for the IHS

    1.  $189 million Increase Funding to Support Current Services
    2.  $407 million Increase Funding for Purchased and Referred Care

        $189 million Increase Funding to Support Current Services.--The
    Federal responsibility to provide healthcare was prepaid by the Tribes
    with their land and resources. To maintain current services, factors
    such as the inflationary rate, pay costs, contract support costs,
    population growth and staffing needs for recently constructed
    facilities all need to be fully-funded. When these mandatory factors
    are not funded, Tribes must supplement programs with their own limited
    revenue, or chose between limiting services or shutting down services
    completely. It is critical that the IHS budget honors and respects the
    Federal trust obligation.
        $407 million Purchased and Referred Care (PRC).--Most IHS and
    Tribally-operated direct care facilities do not provide the required
    emergency and specialty care services so Tribes are forced to turn to
    the private sector to fulfill this need. PRC funds are used to purchase
    essential healthcare services, including inpatient and outpatient care,
    routine emergency ambulatory care, transportation and medical support
    services, such as diagnostic imaging, physical therapy, laboratory,
    nutrition and pharmacy services. When PRC funds are depleted, services
    are denied to Tribal patients.
        The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe continues to support the requests and
    recommendations of our Regional and National Indian Organizations.
    Thank you.

        [This statement was submitted by W. Ron Allen, Tribal Chairman/
    CEO.]
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of John Gates, City of Greeley Mayor
             support for epa watersense and bor watersmart programs
    Dear Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        The City of Greeley is writing to respectfully request your support
    to continue to fund, at or above fiscal year 2019 levels, two programs
    we know to be a critical support of demand management and responsible
    water conservation efforts in the West: the Environmental Protection
    Agency's WaterSense Program, and the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART
    Program.
        In keeping with Greeley's century-long tradition as a water
    conservation leader in Colorado, Greeley has partnered for more than a
    decade with the EPA in its WaterSense programs to encourage, educate,
    and facilitate water conservation both indoors and outdoors. Greeley is
    engaged in a New Cache Irrigation Co. water sharing pilot project that
    is funded by WaterSMART grants and stakeholder contributions; a project
    that is key in the preservation of highly productive farm lands in the
    Greeley area. Greeley Water has also sought 2020-2021 WaterSMART grant
    matching funds to aid in our efforts to drive customer responsiveness
    to demand management. The City's Water Department supports Water SMART
    fixture certification and independent testing. Only WaterSense toilets,
    fixtures and showerheads are sold in Colorado, and it would be a step
    backwards if this program were defunded.
        These Federal water programs are essential to how the West manages
    a growing population, robust economies, hydraulic variability and water
    resource scarcity. Further, they are essential to Greeley's on-going
    efforts to use our limited water resources more efficiently, and limit
    to the extent possible the need to dry up farms to secure water supply
    for economic and population growth.
        Greeley has supported Colorado's focus on these issues and funding
    solutions. Greeley strongly supports efforts to more efficiently use
    scarce water resources, supports Drought Contingency Planning and the
    exploration of demand management on the Colorado River, and we strongly
    urge the Federal Government to continue to be our vested partner in
    this regard. WaterSense and WaterSMART Programs are both important
    elements in those efforts. We appreciate your consideration of this
    issue, and urge your support.

    Respectfully submitted this 24th day of April, 2019

    John Gates
    Mayor
    City of Greeley
    John.Gates@Greeleygov.com
                                     ______

                     Prepared Statement of the Karuk Tribe

    April 4, 2019

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski         The Honorable Tom Udall
    Chairwoman                           Ranking Member
    Senate Appropriations Subcommittee   Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
     on Interior, Environment and         on Interior, Environment and
     Related Agencies                     Related Agencies
    131 Dirksen Senate Office Building   125 Hart Senate Office Building
    Washington, D.C. 20510               Washington, D.C. 20510

    Dear Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        We are writing to request that you support economic development,
    job creation, and our national heritage by appropriating up to $141
    million in fiscal year 2020 funding for the Historic Preservation Fund
    (HPF). Of this total, we would request that $60 million support State
    Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), $20 million support Tribal
    Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs), and $5 million fund a
    competitive grant program for State or Tribal Historic Preservation
    Offices to invest in geographic information systems-based mapping of
    historic resources. SHPOs and THPOs tie our Nation's historic
    preservation programs together. SHPOs carry out the National Historic
    Preservation Act, which provides citizens the tools they need to
    revitalize, rehabilitate, and protect American heritage.
        THPOs carry out many of the same functions as SHPOs for Tribal
    governments. Just as the SHPOs review Federal undertakings on State
    lands, the THPOs review Federal undertakings on Tribal government
    lands. Collectively, they exercise responsibilities over a land base
    exceeding 50 million acres in 30 States, and the HPF is the sole source
    of dedicated Federal funding for THPOs. More Tribes establish THPO
    programs each year, representing an exercise of Tribal sovereignty, but
    funding has not kept pace with this growing number. There were only 12
    THPOs when they first received funding in 1996 and today, there are
    nearly 200 THPOs. As a result, in 2018, 179 Tribes received an average
    of $64,000, which was nearly $20,000 each less than when the program
    first started. Our recommended $20 million in fiscal year 2020 for the
    THPO line item would provide the nearly 200 THPOs an average of
    $100,000 to run their programs, which is still meager but would start
    to close the critical mission gap.
        There are two cornerstones of this work. First, reconnecting Native
    peoples to their cultural heritage, traditions, and places has the
    power to help heal deep generational wounds. Revitalizing traditions,
    languages, and practices serves to rebuild critical individual self-
    worth and community foundations. To continue this work in Indian
    country, it is essential that THPO programs receive increased funding
    to meet the increasing need.
        Second, funding THPOs and staff creates jobs, generates economic
    development, and spurs community revitalization. It also facilitates
    environmental and historic review processes, including for
    infrastructure and energy permitting. Agencies are required to conduct
    government-to-government consultation on all actions they take, which
    means working with tribes to identify potentially affected resources
    and properties and taking mitigation measures. When agencies and
    project applicants call, someone must be there to pick up the phone and
    do the work.
        The current level of funding the Karuk Tribe receives only allows
    for a 0.33 FTE position. This does not meet the baseline need for
    carrying out primary functions on 1800 acres of Tribal Trust Land. In
    additions, our large landscape conservation efforts are being applied
    to a 1.2 million acre landscape. This is not sufficient for meeting the
    need of the advise and assist role as we move into a new era of shared
    stewardship. Tying focal species, to landscape and vegetative
    characteristics, as they relate to sites, features, objects and
    cultural expressions such as the ``pa arrarahi pikyav'' (the people's
    fix the world stories) will be critical to the successful efforts of
    addressing wildland fire management in a changing climate. Since 2014
    our THPO department has grown from this .33 FTE to 3.5 FTE's in 2018 in
    planning at the 5,500 acre scale. We are on a trajectory to replicate
    the processes carried out in the Somes Bar Integrated Fire Management
    Project throughout the aforementioned 1.2 million acre collaborative
    planning area. The approval of this project through the NEPA Process
    without entering objection proceedings provides proof of concept in
    regards to this shared stewardship model. Stabilizing this capacity
    will be a critical success factor in progressing this effort to scale.
    Though this request supports the efforts of THPO's nationwide, Karuk
    specificity adds to the request that the acreage associated with large
    landscape conservation endeavors through the principles of shared
    stewardship be included in the budget formulas for the distribution of
    these funds.
        As the remaining THPO's have not considered this factor in regard
    to formulation of the program request preceding this Karuk specific
    ask, and in all fairness, we urge you to consider an additional $10
    million set aside for Tribes engaging in collaborative large landscape
    conservation efforts.
        Funding these historic preservation programs is vital to ensuring
    that the unvarnished story of America is told. It is an investment in
    towns and cities throughout the country, helping to improve the economy
    of these communities by boosting tourism through their historic sites
    and by leveraging public and private investment in restoring historic
    buildings. This funding is both an economic and historical imperative
    that creates construction jobs and protects historic resources that
    might otherwise be lost forever.
        We greatly appreciate the strong support Congress has shown for the
    preservation of our Nation's heritage. We look forward to working with
    you throughout the appropriations process and thank you for your
    consideration.

    Sincerely,

    Russell Attebery
    Chair, Karuk Tribe
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior
                                Chippewa Indians
        On behalf of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
    Indians, I submit written testimony concerning the Tribe's fiscal year
    2020 budget needs within the appropriations of the Environmental
    Protection Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education
    and Indian Health Service. Our Tribe of 4,000 members is located in
    Vilas, Oneida and Iron Counties Wisconsin. Our Tribe is the largest
    employer in Vilas County. Together with Tribal enterprises, the Tribe
    employs 800 individuals, with nearly one in four of our 190 employees
    paid in full or in part with appropriations made under this
    subcommittee's jurisdiction. Our reservation has one of the densest
    concentrations of fresh water in the country and it is our obligation
    to safeguard the waters, fish, waterfowl, animals and vegetation for
    our great grandchildren. The bounty we draw from 260 lakes, 71 miles of
    streams and rivers, approximately 42,000 acres of forested land and
    roughly 42,000 acres of water and wetlands, help feed our members,
    improve their health and generate jobs. We also have treaty rights and
    lands that provide hunting, gathering and fishing opportunities in
    Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan for our members. We are working hard
    to build and maintain a stable, healthy Tribal community, amid many
    challenges.
        The Tribe thanks the subcommittee for its leadership and bipartisan
    commitment to Indian Tribes which honors the Nation's trust
    responsibility to the Indian people. The Tribe appreciates that
    Congress provided increased funds in fiscal year 2019 for BIA, IHS and
    EPA programs and the other programs across the Federal Government. The
    35-day partial government shutdown put a lot of stress on our community
    which we never want to experience again.
        My testimony addresses EPA, BIA, BIE and IHS programs that are
    vital to the Lac du Flambeau Band. There is an interconnectedness among
    these programs which help promote healthy Tribal members and
    communities; essential building blocks for stable communities. It is
    also essential to understand that clean, air water and land are
    required in order for us to have a healthy community. Without these key
    ingredients, and adequate Federal resources, our members cannot hunt,
    fish and gather animals, plants and medicines which are safe for them
    to eat.
                       i. natural resources (epa and bia)
        The Tribe has one of the leading Tribal Natural Resources programs
    in the Country. Our program includes a Fish Hatchery for several
    species of fish, Fisheries Management, Waterfowl habitat protection,
    Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Wild Rice Restoration, Conservation
    Law Enforcement, Wildlife protection, Historic Preservation, and
    numerous environmental programs, including Water Resources. Our Natural
    Resources Department employs fish/wildlife/wild rice technicians, fish
    hatchery operators, hydrologists, environmental specialists and
    administrators, many of whom are paid in full or in part with EPA and
    BIA funds and critical to our work protecting the resources that were
    promised to us in our Treaties. We urge the subcommittee to increase
    fiscal year 2020 funds for the BIA and EPA Natural Resources programs
    that are critical to protecting our culture, our health and our
    economy; part of Wisconsin's $19 billion hunting, fishing, recreation
    and tourism industry.
        The subcommittee and Congress has once again restored $300 million
    for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for fiscal year 2019 (flat
    funded for the last few years). Even with existing funding, we struggle
    to meet the demands we face to maintain clean air, water and lands from
    the many contaminants that threaten our community. The highest
    concentrations of mercury tainted lakes are in Wisconsin's northern
    most counties, including Vilas and Oneida. Minnesota and Wisconsin
    again lead the Nation with mercury-contaminated lakes. The Wisconsin
    Department of Natural Resources continues to list 146 lakes where fish
    health mercury advisories remain in place. Our lands and waters are
    also threatened by mineral exploration and mineral leasing sites,
    combined with relaxed regulatory enforcement by State and Federal
    agencies. There are approximately 100 Mines, Mineral Exploration and
    Mineral leasing sites within the Lake Superior Watershed. We cannot eat
    contaminated fish that are otherwise a staple of our diet. Chronic
    Wasting Disease (CWD) is another threat to our treaty protected
    resources. CWD has been detected in deer in our ceded territories and
    is moving closer to the Reservation's deer population. We need Federal
    resources if we are to properly monitor, manage and report ongoing
    environmental threats.
    A. Underground Storage Tank Fund (LUST)
        The $1-$2 million appropriation available to Tribes for cleanup
    under the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) program is inadequate
    for Indian Country. Insufficient funds result in ongoing contamination
    of ground waters that threaten Tribal resources. We have spent almost a
    decade working with State and EPA officials to clean up the Tower
    Standard/Haskell Lake, a LUST site located within the Tribe's exterior
    boundaries. This site is contaminated with petroleum, benzene, lead,
    dibromoethane, and other contaminants. EPA recently estimated that $1.7
    million was required for ``interim'' action measures for the site. This
    estimate would consume nearly the entire fiscal year 2019 LUST cleanup
    budget appropriated for the Nation's 573 federally-recognized Tribes.
    The Haskell Lake is one of 23 LUST sites on our reservation alone.
        In 2015, we engaged in consultation with EPA and together we agreed
    on the steps to take to assess and remediate the Haskell Lake site.
    Since then, EPA has walked back most of the commitments it made to us
    and reversed an earlier commitment that it would clean up the LUST site
    pursuant to Tribal standards. We do not have confidence in EPA's latest
    recommended interim action because the site assessment EPA relies on is
    incomplete in its content and because an associated evaluation omits
    EPA's own data regarding known contaminants of concern (COC). We
    encourage the subcommittee to instruct EPA in report language to fully
    engage in meaningfully consultation with Tribes, especially Tribes that
    have ``treatment as a State'' status under the Clean Water Act, as we
    do, and honor Tribal cleanup standards when developing interim and
    final action plans to remediate LUST sites located on reservations.
    Please increase funds for EPA's LUST program dedicated to Tribes to
    include funding for site cleanup and Tribal program support.
    B. Trust-Natural Resources Management
        In fiscal year 2019, Congress appropriated $206.8 million for the
    BIA's Trust-Natural Resources Management programs, a $2.7 million
    increase from fiscal year 2018. We greatly appreciate the increase, but
    given the importance of natural resources to our culture and economy,
    more Federal resources are required. Our Tribe alone needs nearly a
    $500,000 increase for our Tribal Fish Hatchery Operations and Tribal
    Management/Development Program for fiscal year 2020.
    C. Circle of Flight: Wetlands Waterfowl Program
        We urge the subcommittee to continue to provide support for the BIA
    Circle of Flight Program. This modest BIA program supports Tribal
    efforts throughout the Great Lakes Region to restore and preserve
    wetlands and waterfowl habitat and enhances wild rice gathering within
    Tribal territories throughout the three States along the Mississippi
    flyway.
    D. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
        Thank you for restoring the $300 million appropriation for the
    Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. For the Tribes of Wisconsin, the
    Great Lakes represent the lifeblood of our culture and the foundation
    of our economies. Please consider an increase in funding for the
    Initiative in the fiscal year 2020 budget so Tribes can do more.
    E. EPA Tribal General Assistance Program
        For fiscal year 2019, Congress approved $65.4 million for the
    Tribal general assistance program (GAP). The Tribal GAP program
    provides base funds to assist Tribes build their environmental capacity
    to assess environmental conditions, utilize available data and build
    their environmental programs to meet local needs. While we strongly
    support the Tribal GAP funding, that funding is limited to capacity
    building and it is critical that we expand Tribal EPA funding to
    include program implementation.
                         ii. bia and bie appropriations
    A. Law Enforcement
        The Tribe is working collaboratively with our State and local
    partners to address drug trafficking and gang activity on and off the
    reservation. There remains a great need for cooperation among the
    Tribe, the State and Federal law enforcement agencies to address the
    significant impact of drug trafficking on the public safety of our
    community.
        As a Tribe in a Public Law 280 State, we have long suffered from
    the lack of sufficient support by the Federal Government for our law
    enforcement and Tribal court needs. We have one full time judge who
    handle a range of cases ranging from domestic abuse orders to child
    support enforcement. In addition, we a three court clerks and a
    prosecutor. We greatly appreciate the Committee's support of $13
    million for Tribal justice systems for Tribes in Public Law 280 States.
    We provide an important service to the people of our Reservation that
    if we did not perform, the State courts would have to perform. We urge
    Congress to continue this funding in the fiscal year 2020 budget.
        Related to this is the need to provide specific funding for
    conservation law enforcement officers. Our conservation officers,
    provide a critical role in the management of our natural resources and
    sometimes are the first line in identifying drug and other illegal
    activities on the Reservation.
    B. Indian Education
        In fiscal year 2019, Congress maintained $34.9 million for Adult
    Scholarships and $2.9 million for special higher education
    scholarships. We recommend this subcommittee continue to support and
    increase funds for these programs that provide needed support to Tribal
    members seeking higher education.
        The Lac du Flambeau Public School and Lakeland Union High School
    educate our Tribal youth. The High School is approximately 23 percent
    Native American and 86 percent of high school graduates went on to
    attend 4- and 2-year colleges/technical schools, 9 percent entered the
    workforce or pursued other activities and 5 percent entered the
    military. For this reason, we appreciate the Committee's continued
    funding of the Johnson O'Malley Program ($14.9 million for fiscal year
    2019). JOM funds address the unique cultural needs of Indian students
    attending public schools through a supplemental program of services
    planned, developed and approved by the Local Indian Education
    Committee, comprised of parents of eligible Indian students. Indian
    children deserve the supplemental programs that JOM funds enable that
    honor and celebrate their Native heritage and help them grow into
    confident, well-adjusted adults who give back to their families.
    C. Road Maintenance Program
        The Tribe appreciates Congress including a $1.1 million increase in
    funding for the Road Maintenance Program for fiscal year 2019. We
    believe a $10 million increase is justified for fiscal year 2020.
    Recent funding increases have been prioritized by Congress for use on
    gravel school bus routes, thus limiting the Tribes that receive
    additional funds. At $90,000 annually, we receive about $1,285 per mile
    from the Program to maintain our BIA-owned roads. Our budget is
    actually closer to $2 million annually. A year's road maintenance
    budget can be consumed in the winter months alone removing snow and
    salting/sanding roads to ensure freedom of movement. Transportation
    barriers undermine Federal and Tribal efforts to improve Native health,
    educate our youth and attract businesses and jobs to remote, rural
    communities like ours. The Road Maintenance Program is a jobs program
    and well-maintained roads save lives. Please consider unrestricted
    increases to this important public safety program.
                      iii. indian health service programs
        The Tribe appreciates the Committee's commitment to increase
    funding for the IHS. Our IHS allocations account for about one-third of
    our health program budget. The Tribe operates the Peter Christensen
    Health Center, Dental Program, a Family Resource Center, and an In-
    patient Treatment Center with a total annual operating budget in excess
    of $24 million. These programs are vital to ensuring the support and
    preservation of family life and wellbeing by providing such services as
    outpatient mental health, inpatient & outpatient alcohol and other drug
    abuse, and psychological consults. The Health Center provides quality
    healthcare and offers a full range of family medical services by Board
    Certified family physicians, advanced practice nurse practitioner and
    physician-assistants serving 5,500 patients and providing 48,000
    patient appointments annually. Together, our Tribal Health Program
    employs a staff of 150 individuals. The Tribe asks that Congress
    continue to prioritize funding increases to the IHS budget in fiscal
    year 2020.
        We are seeing how important proactive and preventive health
    services are for our community. In particular, like the rest of the
    Nation, our community continues to deal with the opioid epidemic. It
    has tragically claimed the lives of Lac Du Flambeau members.
    Approximately 60 percent of the Tribe's annual births result in opioid-
    addicted babies. In 2017 alone, 48 of the Tribe's 80 births resulted in
    opioid-addicted babies. Early treatment is critical. We urge the
    subcommittee to increase funds for preventive health programs such as
    Drug Endangered Children (DEC) and Drug Endangered Elders (DEE). These
    programs can save lives and empower our Tribe to help our citizens
    address addictions and mental health issues, especially targeting our
    Tribal youth. Please continue to prioritize increases in fiscal year
    2020 IHS funding for Hospitals and Clinics, mental health, substance
    abuse treatment and P/RC funds so that we can take a proactive stance
    by investing wisely in preventive health services.
        We thank the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for all its support
    and for the opportunity to provide written testimony concerning our
    fiscal year 2020 budget needs within the subcommittee's jurisdiction.

        [This statement was submitted by Joseph Wildcat, President.]
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the League of American Orchestras
        The League of American Orchestras urges the Senate Interior,
    Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to
    support $167.5 million in fiscal year 2020 funding for the National
    Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Bipartisan support in Congress for the
    ongoing work of the NEA has been especially appreciated in the past
    several years, and we are grateful for the subcommittee's leadership.
    Increased support in fiscal year 2020 will enable the agency to provide
    more direct grants, which will boost meaningful arts participation for
    more Americans.
        The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions
    America's orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its
    diverse membership of more than 2,000 organizations and individuals
    includes world-renowned orchestras, community groups, summer festivals,
    student and youth ensembles, businesses serving orchestras, and
    individuals who love symphonic music. As orchestras navigate the myriad
    changes coursing through American society, they are continually honing
    the ways the orchestral experience serves communities. NEA support via
    Art Works and Challenge America grants helps to expand the capacity of
    orchestras to present concerts and programs to communities of all
    sizes, and each NEA direct grant dollar leverages more than $9 of
    additional non-Federal or private investment. The following ten
    orchestral projects from fiscal year 2019 total $155,000 in direct
    Federal support and offer a sampling of the remarkable orchestral
    partnerships serving the public in responsive ways.
    National Endowment for the Arts funding increases public access to the
            arts
        The NEA is committed to helping small- and mid-sized organizations
    extend the reach of the arts to populations whose arts opportunities
    are limited by geography, economics, or disability. The Kansas City
    Symphony, employing 80 full-time musicians and 35 full-time staff,
    offers a series of free chamber music concerts featuring symphony
    musicians performing a wide range of music, from baroque to
    contemporary, that is not readily available elsewhere in the community.
    Curated by the musicians, these weekday, early evening, casual programs
    are designed to remove barriers of formality, access, and financial
    ability, and they draw more than 1,200 people to every performance.
    Nearly one-third of audience members has the opportunity to experience
    a new musical form and enjoy the cultural richness of their own
    community for the first time, thanks in part to an NEA Art Works grant,
    which leads to broad financial support for the symphony from
    foundations, businesses, and individuals throughout the community.
        The Adrian Symphony Orchestra's Challenge America grant will
    support a week of activities specifically designed for youth and the
    rural Lenawee County community in Michigan. The symphony, with a small
    but dedicated staff of four, will present Carmina Burana, featuring
    local choirs and soloists Allison Prost and Jonathan Lasch, as well a
    new work, Broad Band of Light, by American composer Conni Ellisor with
    soloist Stephen Seifert on the mountain dulcimer. The project and
    ancillary activities would not otherwise be possible without additional
    support, and the NEA grant and its multiplying effect mean that local
    teachers will be able to receive a pre-concert guide with information
    about the orchestra, music director, composers, guest artist, and the
    mountain dulcimer, and the orchestra will able to present a Young
    People's Concert for children in kindergarten through second grade,
    offering unique opportunities to connect with the soloists and
    composer.
        The Billings Symphony Orchestra & Chorale (BSO&C), which employs 90
    staff and musicians, received a Challenge America grant to support
    performances and community engagement in honor of Black History Month
    and the 60th anniversary of the founding of Motown Records. In addition
    to performing at the Alberta Bair Theater, guest artists Sydney Morton
    and Jarran Muse visited the St. Charles Indian Mission on the rural
    Crow Indian Reservation; the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (a
    therapeutic and residential treatment center for children with
    emotional and behavioral challenges); Riverside Middle and Senior High
    Schools, which are Title I schools in Billings; and the Montana State
    Women's Prison to work with the women's prison choir. The program
    included discussions about racism and discrimination, being a friend to
    people who may be different from you, music performances that included
    Motown hits such as What's Going On, and discussion of the history of
    Motown music. The BSO&C is committed to bringing musical experiences to
    underserved communities, and this program in particular was designed to
    facilitate the Billings community engaging with and learning from
    artists of color.
    National Endowment for the Arts advances equity, diversity, and
            inclusion
        In addition to increasing public access to the arts, support from
    the National Endowment for the Arts provides opportunities to recognize
    and celebrate the diverse backgrounds that comprise communities
    throughout the country. The Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO)
    received a Challenge America grant for a performance and related
    engagement activity by the Kaia String Quartet. The quartet will
    perform at the Boys and Girls Club of the Mississippi Valley Teen
    Center in Moline, Illinois as part of a QCSO series focused on work by
    Latino composers, and it will also visit Bicentennial Elementary and
    the bilingual Lincoln-Irving Elementary that serves Floreciente
    Neighborhood students. The symphony, which is supported by a staff of
    12 people, is also partnering with the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic
    Chamber of Commerce to promote the event to the broader Latino
    community and provide discounted tickets through their member
    businesses. A portion of the ticket price will benefit the Club, and
    donations will be requested at the event for Club's cello programs.
        With 7 full-time staff and 7 part-time project-based staff
    employees, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra will use an Art Works grant
    to support a free community event featuring Mexican-American author
    Sandra Cisneros, composer Derek Bermel, and mezzo-soprano Paulina
    Villarreal. Cisneros will discuss her experiences growing up amidst two
    cultures and how those experiences informed her award-winning novel,
    The House on Mango Street. Cisneros' discussion will be augmented by a
    performance of excerpts from Bermel's Mango Suite, which was inspired
    by the book. The planning process has enabled the Princeton Symphony to
    partner with organizations such as the Latin American Legal Defense and
    Education Fund, Princeton Community Housing Group, and Corner House
    Youth Leadership programs, as well as the Princeton and Trenton Public
    Schools. The symphony has taken such an interest due to the recent
    significant increase of Latino family immigration to the Princeton and
    surrounding Mercer County area. Princeton Symphony hopes the
    performance of Mango Suite will be an opportunity to address the
    experiences of immigrant families and work toward creating a more
    diverse and welcoming environment for all. At the event, audience
    members will have an opportunity to talk with Cisneros one-on-one, and
    on the day prior Bermel will visit local schools with significant
    immigrant populations to lead students in songwriting workshops
    exploring these same issues of identity and assimilation.
        The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO), which employs 9 full-time
    staff and 229 part-time employees, is utilizing its Art Works grant to
    commemorate the 80th anniversary of Marian Anderson's April 9, 1939,
    concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The program will
    take place at Lyman Center for the Performing Arts at Southern
    Connecticut State University in New Haven and will feature celebrated
    artists Kristen Renee Young and Harolyn Blackwell and include
    orchestral works like Old and Lost Rivers by Tobias Picker; an
    arrangement of traditional spirituals by Joel Martin; Lincoln Portrait,
    Down a Country Lane, and John Henry by Aaron Copland; Hip-Hop Essay #1
    by Daniel Bernard Romain; and Joseph Schwantner's New Morning for the
    World. Accompanying visual images will be curated by Peabody Award-
    winning broadcaster, producer, and director Elliott Forrest. Students
    from local public schools will also have the opportunity to perform
    side-by-side with orchestra musicians, and members of the NHSO's
    Harmony Fellowship for Underrepresented Musicians will perform as well.
    New Haven's Mayor, the honorable Toni Harp; the Reverend Jerry Streets;
    and SCSU faculty will serve on a pre-concert panel that will discuss
    the music and the historical context of the program.
    National Endowment for the Arts supports youth engagement
        Lifelong engagement with the arts begins early, and the NEA has
    been a strong supporter of arts education and projects that foster
    youth engagement with art. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra's
    Artist Development Program is designed to enhance the artistic growth
    of its student participants and increase their comprehension of and
    skill in orchestral music. An Art Works grant will serve 100 percent of
    the youth orchestra musicians--a total of 116 students from the Greater
    Bay Area region, from Sacramento to Santa Cruz. The program includes
    intensive weekly coaching by musicians of the San Francisco Symphony
    and collaboration with internationally renowned guest artists such as
    composer John Adams. The project arranges for the youth orchestra to
    perform free of charge in community settings, for senior groups, for a
    holiday concert for young children, and for the biannual Bay Area Youth
    Orchestra Festival, which convenes half a dozen regional youth
    ensembles with a culminating concert that benefits homeless and
    undeserved youth. In addition to this performance-based activity, the
    program also provides paid apprenticeships to prepare interested youth
    orchestra members for careers as music librarians, personnel managers,
    and arts administrators. Apprentices work closely with San Francisco
    Symphony staff up to 20 hours per week to receive on-the-job training
    and learn skills not available through arts administration curricula.
        The El Paso Symphony also received an Art Works grant for its youth
    orchestra, which will facilitate the first of an annual learning and
    performing festival in El Paso, the Southwest Youth Orchestra Festival,
    for underserved youth in the Southwest U.S. and Northern Mexico region.
    The week-long youth orchestra festival will allow youth ensembles to
    come together as one voice to learn, study, and perform music. The
    festival will provide students the opportunity to learn from music
    instructors and conductors other than their own in an intense musical
    ``boot-camp'' setting. Auditions will place participants into groups
    with the goal of creating ensembles of varying cultures, ethnicity, and
    heritage. Groups will perform separately and in a joint group orchestra
    in three to four different venues.
    The National Endowment for the Arts supports contemporary works and
            living composers
        Many orchestras are devoted to expanding their contemporary
    repertoire to offer a broad selection of musical styles to their
    communities. The NEA is helping several orchestras support the work of
    contemporary composers. The Utah Symphony & Opera (USUO), with 52 full-
    time and 15 part-time staff, embraces the work of living composers as a
    way of enhancing both musicians' and the public's understanding of and
    enthusiasm for classical music. An Art Works grant will support a
    performance project highlighting works by Pierre Boulez, Vivian Fung,
    Zhou Tian, Joan Tower, and Andrew Norman. Chinese-American composer
    Zhou Tian, a 2018 GRAMMY nominee, has been commissioned for a piece to
    celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad.
    Andrew Norman, Musical America's 2017 Composer of the Year, is USUO's
    first Composer-in-Association in 2018-19. Two of Mr. Norman's works,
    Suspend and Play, will be performed by Utah Symphony during this
    season. Both Zhou and Norman will spend time working with students,
    providing valuable insight into the creative process, and inspiring
    members of the community to engage more deeply with music.
        Another Art Works recipient is the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
    (SPCO), which, with its more 34 full-time staff, 13 part-time staff,
    and 21 musicians, inaugurated Tapestry19, a festival celebrating life
    stories through music. Programming included premiere performances of
    new works such as a collaboration (Let the Crows Come) by Minneapolis-
    based Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer Ashwini Ramaswamy and
    composer, DJ, and author Jace Clayton; A Requiem for Zula by composer
    and interdisciplinary artist PaviElle French in a tribute to her
    mother, who grew up in St. Paul's historically African-American Rondo
    neighborhood; a new work by composer and clarinetist Kinan Azmeh which
    expanded on his previous work Do Not Repeat After Me, about the
    collective memories of growing up in Syria in the 1980s; and a new
    work, Say Home, by Beecher, inspired by the poetry of Chris Santiago,
    the son of Filipino immigrants. For his piece, Beecher conducted
    interviews with 47 community members and made 26 visits to 13
    elementary schools in Minneapolis and St. Paul where he integrated
    brief student audio responses into a brand-new work that was given its
    world premiere at each of the school visits.
        Thank you for this opportunity to illustrate the tremendous value
    of NEA support for the communities that orchestras serve in every
    corner of our country. We applaud the NEA's national leadership in
    promoting public engagement with high-quality artistry, and we urge you
    to increase our Nation's creative potential and access to the arts by
    approving $167.5 million for the National Endowment for the Arts in
    fiscal year 2020.

        [This statement was submitted by Jesse Rosen, President and CEO.]
                                     ______

              Prepared Statement of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe
        On behalf of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribes, I submit this
    testimony for the record for the fiscal year 2020 budgets for the
    Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Indian Health Service (IHS) and
    Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I am Frances Charles,
    Chairwoman, an elected position that I have been honored to hold for
    the past 13 years. My testimony identifies our most urgent Tribal-
    specific funding needs. We are also supporting the Regional and
    National budget requests which will benefit the Lower Elwha citizens
    and community.
             tribal-specific requests for lower elwha klallam tribe
    Bureau of Indian Affairs $5.43 Million
        1.  $4.972 Million Dam Removal and Fisheries Restoration--Public
    Law 102-495, Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act
               a.  $702,000--Salmon Hatchery O&M
               b.  $270,000--Flood Control Levee O&M
               c.   $4 million--Land Acquisition
        2.  $267,000--Tribal Court Enhancement and Implementation of Tribal
    Law and Order Act (TLOA) and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
        3.  $191,000--Tiwahe Initiative--Tribe seeks to fully exercise its
    jurisdiction under existing law, in its own court system, over all
    cases arising under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and to become a
    licensing agency for foster homes
    Indian Health Service $500,000--Mental Health and Chemical Dependency
            programs
    Environmental Protection Agency $536,000--Environmental Programs
        1.  $125,000--General Assistance Grant (GAP)
        2.  $ 81,000--Clean Water Act Sec. 106 Grant
        3.  $180,000--Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) Implementation Grant
        4.  $150,000--PSP Tribal Capacity Grant
    Contract Support Costs--Past, Present and Future
        We appreciate that the Appropriators fully support the BIA and IHS
    estimated CSC needs in a separate indefinite account that will ensure
    the continuance of fully funding this priority. Tribes agree that this
    structure achieves the Nation's legal obligation to fully pay CSC and
    the trust and treaty obligations to Tribes.
    Indian Programs Advance Appropriation Act (IPAAA)
        The BIA, IHS and Bureau of Indian Education like most Federal
    agencies use appropriations in the year they are enacted. However, the
    recent lack of ``regular order'' in the appropriations process has
    resulted in a problematic cycle of continuing resolutions and
    shutdowns. Why should Tribes continue to be the greatest casualty when
    the legislative and administrative branches of the United States
    Government have policy differences? Tribes were crippled in 2019 far
    beyond the imagination and expectation of not only this subcommittee
    but the entire Congress--just like we were during the 16-day shutdown
    in 2013. The IPAAA is modeled on the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform
    and Transparency Act of 2009 and the Surface Transportation and
    Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015. It would move IHS
    and BIA programs, as well as `638' contract support costs, to an
    advance appropriations cycle beginning in fiscal year 2020.
                      lower elwha klallam tribe background
        The Lower Elwha Indian Reservation is located at the mouth of the
    Elwha River along the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the northern Olympic
    Peninsula, about 8 miles west of the City of Port Angeles, Washington.
    The Lower Elwha Tribe has roughly 820 members and a total land base-
    Reservation and adjacent trust lands-of about 1,000 acres. We are a
    salmon people with fishing rights in a large expanse of marine and
    fresh waters, reserved in the 1855 Treaty of Point No Point. Only in
    recent years have we made strides in our economic development, and in
    the long term we believe our prospects will be tied to natural
    resources restoration and preservation in an ecologically rich region
    where an extraction-based economy is well past its prime.
                  lower elwha tribal-specific funding requests
    $5.43 Million--Bureau of Indian Affairs
        1.  $4.972 Million--Dam Removal and Fisheries Restoration--We were
    the leading advocate for the removal of the two hydro-electric dams on
    the Elwha River. In accordance with Congress's direction in the Elwha
    River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act of 1992 (Elwha Act),
    Public Law 102-495, we continue to work closely with the National Park
    Service and other agencies to remove the last remnants of the dams and
    restore the once famously abundant runs of native Elwha River salmon
    and steelhead. Unfortunately, removal of the dams caused a short-term
    threat to the salmon runs (due to sediment released from behind the
    former dams) and has adversely impacted our small Tribal land base and
    our Tribal budgets. We are strongly committed to the restoration of
    fisheries, fish habitat, streams and rivers, and the Port Angeles
    Harbor. We urgently need increased Self-Governance funds to support the
    operation of dam removal mitigation and restoration features and to
    revive our other Self-Governance activities from which we have been
    forced to transfer funds to support dam removal mitigation.
               a.  $702,000--Salmon Hatchery O&M Costs--Fish Hatchery
            Operations Budget for the ongoing operation and maintenance
            (O&M) of our state-of-the-art hatchery, which went online in
            2011. This is a significant increase of $601,929 annually, but
            one that is amply justified by the crucial role that our
            hatchery serves in dam removal and fishery restoration. Our
            hatchery is a genetic preserve for native Elwha salmonids,
            which have been on the verge of extirpation from the impacts of
            the dams and which have been further threatened by the enormous
            sediment load unleashed by dam removal. The National Marine
            Fisheries Service would not have approved dam removal under the
            Endangered Species Act without the hatchery's native salmonid
            programs. The Tribe should not have to bear the O&M cost of
            this important restoration facility that in fact benefits the
            entire region.
               b.  $270,000--Flood Control Levee O&M Costs--The levee on
            our lands had to be expanded prior to dam removal in order to
            protect Tribal lands from the newly unleashed Elwha River and
            to conform to new Federal standards-clearly it is a mitigation
            feature of the dam removal project. In the 1992 Elwha Act,
            Congress intended that courts not be asked to address problems
            where legislative solutions would be far more effective in
            covering all the bases. Twenty-five years of inflation since
            1992 more than justifies this increase in the current annual
            operations allocation of $10,400.
               c.   $4 million for Land Acquisition--Section 7(b) of the
            Elwha Act authorized $4 million so that the Secretary could
            acquire trust lands for the Tribe in Reservation status in
            Clallam County, Washington, for economic development and
            housing. But those funds have never been appropriated. In 1934,
            an Interior Department report concluded that the then-proposed
            Reservation should be at least 4,000 acres, but in 1937 the
            initial Reservation was fewer than 400 acres and even now we
            have only 1,000 acres, several hundred of which (on the river's
            side of the levee) have to be maintained in undeveloped status
            as floodplain habitat. In addition, we need legislative
            direction to ensure that former hydro-project lands (now held
            by Interior for the interim) are transferred to the Tribe as
            contemplated in Section 3(c)(3) of the Elwha Act. The Elwha
            people have struggled for a century from the harm to their
            culture and economies caused by the Elwha River dams. We had to
            endure the destruction of not only the fisheries but the treaty
            fishers themselves and the attendant loss of our traditional
            and cultural livelihood; we have lost an opportunity-which will
            only return after another generation-to teach our children the
            ways of their ancestors and the Elwha life as designed by the
            Creator.
        2.  $267,000--Funding for Tribal Court Enhancement and to Implement
    TLOA and VAWA. Consistent with the Interior Department's and Tribe's
    high priority on Tribal Court enhancement, Lower Elwha has made
    progress in adopting the enhanced sentencing provisions authorized by
    the 2010 Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) and in particular the expanded
    Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction under the 2013 Violence Against
    Women Act (VAWA). We now have the first in-house Chief Judge in the
    Tribe's history but our efforts remain limited due to the lack of
    adequate base funding for Court development. Requested funding will
    provide for: (a) mandatory criminal defense counsel (including basic
    legal assistance for domestic violence victims); (b) legal counsel for
    parents in abuse/neglect cases; (c) detention services; (d) probation
    services that focus on solutions and restorative justice by sharing
    coordinated case management and re-entry referrals; and (e) basic court
    security. Full funding for TLOA-mandated provisions and increased base
    funding for our Tribal Court will enable Elwha to benefit from: BIA
    regional assessments using Trial Court Program Standards; specific
    technical assistance and training identified through these assessments;
    targeted training for specific Tribal court personnel (judges,
    prosecutors, public defenders, clerks); development of Tribal Court
    bench books; identification of funding sources for pilot programs; and
    captured data covering criminal pre-trial to post-conviction matters,
    including any collateral civil legal issues.
        3.  $191,000--Funding for ICW-related services from BIA's Tiwahe
    (Family) Initiative. Lower Elwha faces a community crisis with the
    increasing number of child abuse/neglect cases, which stem from
    inordinately high rates of drug/substance abuse by parents or
    caregivers. This crisis severely impacts services in all facets of
    Tribal government. A coordinated community response must be based on
    multi-disciplinary, culturally informed case planning and service
    delivery, coupled with a strong commitment to restorative justice
    ideals and (in criminal cases) solutions-based sentencing. A major
    obstacle to implementing this approach is our lack of infrastructure to
    assume jurisdiction over all local cases clearly arising under the
    Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA); 65 percent of our current ICWA cases
    remain in the State court system (a deceptively low percentage due to
    reduced State court filings resulting from staff turnover). In
    addition, because we are dependent on an inadequate State system for
    licensing foster care providers, we are often unable to make proper
    placements to assist our families. For the past three fiscal years, the
    Tribe's base Federal funding (BIA Self-Governance ICWA) has remained
    flat-lined at a mere $45,000. We seek $191,000 additional annual
    funding from the BIA's Tiwahe (Family) Initiative, which would enable
    the Tribe to exercise jurisdiction in its own court system over all
    cases arising under the ICWA and to become a licensing agency for
    foster homes.
          indian health service elwha tribal-specific funding requests
    $500,000 for Elwha Health Department Programs
        The drug abuse and mental health crisis threatens to destroy the
    potential and the cultural connections of many Tribal members and
    families. In fiscal year 2016, the Tribe's Mental Health and Chemical
    Dependency programs served 275 American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN)
    patients, with the potential to reach approximately 1,500 within
    Clallam and Jefferson County. The Tribe currently subsidizes its
    chemical dependency program with third-party revenue and gaming revenue
    to fund prevention health initiatives and chemical dependency programs,
    yet these critical health epidemics remain severely underfunded. To
    remedy this, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services formula must
    be expanded to inpatient chemical dependency treatment programs at the
    current encounter rate of $391/per day, with annual increases.
     environmental protection agency elwha tribal-specific funding requests
    $536,000 for Elwha Tribal Environmental Programs
                General Assistance Grant, $125,000
                Clean Water Act Sec. 106 Grant, $81,000
                Puget Sound Partnership (``PSP'') Implementation Grant,
                        $180,000
                PSP Tribal Capacity Grant: $150,000
        Lower Elwha's environmental programs have, over the past two
    decades, developed a strong pragmatic capability to protect human and
    basic environmental health for not only the Tribal community but also
    the greater Port Angeles and northern Olympic Peninsula communities. By
    focusing on collaboration with local governments and other
    stakeholders, we have maximized the efficiency of our small but skilled
    staff. This would not be possible without the basic EPA funding that we
    seek to continue. This funding supports: basic staff salaries,
    including for our highly experienced program director (General
    Assistance Grant); water quality monitoring in significant local rivers
    and lakes (Clean Water Act Sec. 106 Grant); implementation of crucial
    in-the-field projects consistent with the PSP's Action Agenda (PSP
    Implementation Grant); Tribal participation and influence in local,
    State, and Federal environmental planning and review activities
    (General Assistance and PSP Tribal Capacity Grants). PSP Implementation
    funding has enabled the Tribe to complete numerous stream restoration
    projects that support the PSP Action Agenda. EPA funding is critical to
    our participation in the cleanup of toxic contamination of Port Angeles
    Harbor, which was nominated for Superfund listing but deferred to State
    cleanup authority; under this deferral arrangement, the Tribe has a
    unique and important role as the sole local representative working
    directly with the responsible State agency to ensure that the cleanup
    will protect the health of all residents of the greater Port Angeles
    area.
                     regional and national budget requests
        Elwha supports the Fiscal Year 2020 Regional Budget Priorities of
    the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Affiliated Tribes of
    Northwest Indians, and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board,
    and also the Fiscal Year 2020 National Budget Priorities of the
    National Congress of American Indians and National Indian Health Board.

        [This statement was submitted by Frances G. Charles, Chairwoman.]
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of Members of the WaterNow Alliance in Support for
                           the EPA WaterSense Program
    Dear Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        As members of WaterNow Alliance, we write to respectfully request
    your support to fund the Environmental Protection Administration's
    WaterSense Program at the fiscal year 2019 level of $3.1 million or
    higher. WaterSense shares resources and encourages the adoption of
    water efficient practices and products that use less water across the
    Nation. The proposed fiscal year 2020 budget calls for the elimination
    of this small but important program. We urge you to reject this
    proposal and fund the WaterSense Program at least at its current level.
    While miniscule in terms of the overall Federal budget, WaterSense has
    an outsize beneficial impact on local communities like ours.
        Since 2006, WaterSense partnerships have saved more than 3 trillion
    gallons of water. Additionally, WaterSense labeled products have saved
    over 400 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and approximately $65
    billion in water and energy bills for Americans in every State.
        Using water efficiently makes sense for consumers, communities, and
    the environment as populations are faced with supply issues, aging
    infrastructure, extreme weather, and growth. It is critical to fund
    WaterSense Program at the very minimum at the fiscal year 2019 funding
    level of $3.1 million or higher in the fiscal year 2020 budget to
    support utilities and consumers in the efforts to conserve this vital
    resource. Public and private partners, municipalities, and utilities
    across the Nation rely on WaterSense labeled products for conservation
    and efficiency programs.
        For all of these reasons, we believe that the WaterSense Program is
    deserving of your support to fund at $3.1 million or higher. Thank you
    for your consideration.

    WaterNow Alliance is a nationwide network of over 400 local water
    leaders supporting sustainable water solutions to build community
    resilience. WaterNow is a WaterSense Partner.

    Alan Buchanan                         Alexander R. Coate                    Amy Deming
    Councilmember                         General Manager                       Community Outreach Specialist
    Camp Verde, AZ                        East Bay Municipal Utility District,  Madison Water Utility, WI
                                           CA

    Amy Peterson                          Andrew Kricun                         Anna T. Hamilton
    Water Conservation Specialist         Executive Director/Chief Engineer     County Commissioner
    City of Surprise, AZ                  Camden County MUA, NJ                 Santa Fe County, NM

    Bart A. Forsyth                       Bart Turner                           Bob Roth
    Assistant General Manager             Councilmember                         Mayor Pro Tem
    Jordan Valley Water Conservation      City of Glendale, AZ                  City of Aurora, CO
     District, UT

    Brett Christensen                     Bridget Donnell Newton                Carmen Ramirez
    Councilmember                         Mayor                                 Mayor Pro Tem
    Payson City, UT                       City of Rockville, MD                 City of Oxnard, CA

    Cindy Dyballa                         Cynthia Pratt                         Dan Devine
    Councilmember                         Deputy Mayor                          Mayor
    City of Takoma Park, MD               City of Lacey, WA                     City of West Allis, WI

    Dan Ferons                            David Cantu                           Debra L. Kring
    General Manager                       Alderperson, Place 2                  Councilmember
    Santa Margarita Water District, CA    City of San Elizario, TX              City of Mission, KS

    Dick Weatherly                        Emily Gorgol                          Francisco R. Flores
    Councilmen, Place 5                   Councilmember                         Chief Operator Water Plants
    City of Lago Vista, TX                Fort Collins, CO                      City of San Juan, TX

    George Baroody                        Gill Sorg                             Guy Phillips
    Councilmember, Place 2                Mayor Pro Tem                         Councilmember
    City of Kerrville, TX                 City of Las Cruces, NM                Scottsdale, AZ

    Harris Sondak                         Hattie Portis-Jones                   Heidi K. Williams
    Mayor                                 Councilmember                         Mayor
    Town of Alta, UT                      WaterNow Leadership Council           City of Thornton, CO
                                          Fairburn, GA

    Henry Hash                            Jamie Whelan                          Jason Brown
    Director of Public Works              Councilmember                         City Manager
    City of Tukwila, WA                   City of Flagstaff, AZ                 Beaver City, UT

    John Gates                            John H. Guldner                       John H. Weed
    Mayor                                 Town Administrator                    Director
    City of Greeley, CO                   Town of Alta, UT                      Alameda County Water District, CA

    John Kmiec                            Kalen Jones                           Karen Guzman-Newton
    Water Director                        Councilmember                         Councilmember
    Marana Water, AZ                      Moab City, UT                         Moab City, UT

    Kevin Shafer                          Kirsten Keith                         Lauren Kuby
    Executive Director                    Director                              Vice Mayor
    Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage         Bay Area Water Supply and             City of Tempe, AZ
     District, WI                          Conservation Agency
                                          Menlo Park, CA

    Mark Gallegos                         Marshall Brown                        Nancy Smith
    Mayor                                 General Manager                       Councilmember
    Village of Questa, NM                 Aurora Water, CO                      City of Sunnyvale, CA

    Nickole Nesby                         Patrick J. Martin                     Paul Roberts
    Mayor                                 Water Use Efficiency Manager          Councilmember
    City of Duquesne, PA                  Miami Dade Water & Sewer Dept., FL    City of Everett, WA

    Pete Laybourn                         R. Michael Kasperzak, Jr.             Richard Gonzales
    Councilmember                         Former Mayor                          Water Utility Manager
    City of Cheyenne, WY                  City of Mountain View, CA             City of Monterey Park, CA

    Rick Maloy                            Robert J. Beste                       Rosemarie Russo
    Water Conservation Manager            Public Works Director                 Sustainability Director
    Central Utah Water Conservancy        City of Torrance, CA                  City of Moab, UT
     District, UT

    Stacy Taylor                          Steven Elie                           TJ Cawley
    External Affairs Manager              Director                              Mayor
    Mesa Water District, CA               Inland Empire Utilities Agency, CA    Town of Morrisville, NC

                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
                                   California
    Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee:

        The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
    (Metropolitan) encourages the subcommittee's support for fiscal year
    2020 Federal funding of $2.0 million in financial assistance from the
    Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Soil, Water and Air Program for the
    Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program (Salinity Control
    Program) to prevent further degradation of Colorado River water quality
    and increased economic damages.
        The salt concentration in the Colorado River causes over $454
    million in damages to water users each year. While this figure is
    significant, had it not been for the efforts of the Salinity Control
    Program, damages would be much higher. Salinity Control Program actions
    have reduced salinity concentrations of Colorado River water over 90
    milligrams per liter (mg/L) from what they would have been without the
    actions. Modeling by Reclamation indicates that the economic damages
    will rise to approximately $574 million by the year 2035 without
    continuation of the program.
        Metropolitan is the regional water supplier for most of urban
    Southern California, providing supplemental water to retail agencies
    that serve approximately 19 million people. Water imported via the
    Colorado River Aqueduct has the highest level of salinity of all of
    Metropolitan's sources of supply, averaging around 630 mg/L since 1976.
    This salinity level causes economic damages to all sectors. For
    example, high salinity leads to:

      --A reduction in the useful life of water heaters, faucets, garbage
            disposals, clothes washers, and dishwashers, and an increased
            use of water softeners in the household sector;
      --An increase in the cost of cooling operations, additional need for
            and cost of water softening, and a decrease in equipment
            service life in the commercial sector;
      --An increase in the use of water and the cost of water treatment,
            and an increase in sewer fees in the industrial sector;
      --A decrease in the life of treatment facilities and pipelines in the
            utility sector;
      --Difficulty in meeting wastewater discharge requirements to comply
            with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit
            terms and conditions;
      --A reduction in the ability to re-claim and reuse water due to high
            salinities in the water delivered to water treatment and
            reclamation facilities;
      --An increase in desalination and brine disposal costs due to
            accumulation of salts in groundwater basins, and fewer
            opportunities for recycling due to groundwater quality
            deterioration;
      --Increased cost of desalination and brine disposal for recycled
            water in the municipal sector; and,
      --A reduction in the yield of salt sensitive crops and increased
            water use for leaching in the agricultural sector.

        Concern over salinity levels in the Colorado River has existed for
    many years. To deal with the concern, the International Boundary and
    Water Commission signed Minute No. 242, Permanent and Definitive
    Solution to the International Problem of the Salinity of the Colorado
    River in 1973, and the President signed the Colorado River Basin
    Salinity Control Act of 1974 (Act) into law. To further foster
    interstate cooperation and coordinate the Colorado River Basin States'
    efforts on salinity control, the seven Basin States formed the Colorado
    River Basin Salinity Control Forum.
        The Forum is charged with reviewing the Colorado River's water
    quality standards for salinity every 3 years. In so doing, it adopts a
    Plan of Implementation consistent with these standards. The Plan of
    Implementation, as adopted by the States and approved by EPA in 2017,
    calls for 63,500 tons of additional salinity control measures to be
    implemented by Reclamation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service
    (NRCS) and the BLM by 2020.
        EPA has identified that more than 60 percent of the salt load of
    the Colorado River comes from natural sources. The majority of land
    within the Colorado River Basin is federally owned, much of which is
    administered by BLM. In implementing the Colorado River Basin Salinity
    Control Act in 1974, Congress recognized that most of the salts in the
    Colorado River originate from these federally owned lands. Title I of
    the Salinity Control Act deals with the U.S. commitment to the quality
    of waters being delivered to Mexico. Title II of the Act deals with
    improving the quality of the water delivered to users in the United
    States. This testimony deals specifically with Title II efforts.
        In 1984, Congress amended the Salinity Control Act and directed
    that the Secretary of the Interior develop a comprehensive program for
    minimizing salt contributions to the Colorado River from lands
    administered by BLM. In 2000, Congress reiterated its directive to the
    Secretary and requested a report on the implementation of BLM's program
    (Public Law 106-459). In 2003, BLM employed a Salinity Coordinator to
    increase BLM efforts in the Colorado River Basin and to pursue salinity
    control studies and to implement specific salinity control practices.
    BLM is now working on creating a comprehensive Colorado River Basin
    salinity control program as directed by Congress. In January 2018 BLM
    issued A Framework for Improving the Effectiveness of the Colorado
    River Basin Salinity Control Program, 2018-2023. This document lays out
    how BLM intends to implement Colorado River Basin salinity control
    activities over the next 5 years.
        Meaningful resources have been expended by BLM in the past few
    years to better understand salt mobilization on rangelands. With a
    significant portion of the salt load of the Colorado River coming from
    BLM administered lands, the BLM portion of the overall program is
    essential to the success of the effort. Inadequate BLM salinity control
    efforts will result in additional economic damages to water users
    downstream.
        Implementation of salinity control practices through BLM is a cost
    effective method of controlling the salinity of the Colorado River and
    is an essential component to the overall Colorado River Basin Salinity
    Control Program. Continuation of adequate funding levels for salinity
    within the Soil, Water and Air Program will assist in preventing the
    water quality of the Colorado River from further degradation and
    significant increases in economic damages to municipal, industrial and
    irrigation users. A modest investment in source control pays huge
    dividends in improved drinking water quality to nearly 40 million
    Americans
        Metropolitan urges the subcommittee to support funding for fiscal
    year 2020 of $2.0 million from the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM)
    Soil, Water and Air Program for the Colorado River Basin Salinity
    Control Program.

        [This statement was submitted by Jeffrey Kightlinger, General
    Manager.]
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the National Association of Abandoned Mine Land
                                    Programs
        My name is Autumn Coleman and I serve as Manager of the Abandoned
    Mine Lands Program within the Montana Department of Environmental
    Quality. I am providing this statement on behalf of the National
    Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs (NAAMLP), which I currently
    serve as President. NAAMLP represents 32 States and Tribes, of which 28
    implement federally approved abandoned mine land reclamation (AML)
    programs authorized under Title IV of the Surface Mining Control and
    Reclamation Act (SMCRA). My address is P.O. Box 200901, Helena,
    Montana, 59620-0901. My email is acoleman@mt.deq.
        As you know, the 2006 amendments to Title IV of SMCRA significantly
    changed how State and Tribal AML grants are funded. These grants are
    still based on receipts from a fee on coal production, but beginning in
    fiscal year 2008, the grants are funded primarily by mandatory
    appropriations. As a result and based on current OSMRE projections, the
    States and Tribes should receive $188.4 million (before sequestration)
    in fiscal year 2020.
        OSMRE's budget includes a discretionary funding request that would
    provide $24.4 million. From this amount, OSMRE must meet the
    supplemental grant needs of States operating at ``minimum program''
    status (``minimum program make-up funds''), as well as fund other
    activities and obligations including the agency's own AML work,
    administration of the AML Fund, and other activities in support of the
    AML program. While the amount provided should be sufficient to cover
    minimum program funding needs,\1\ it should be noted that a decrease
    might strain the agency's ability to meet its other programmatic
    obligations.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ In fiscal year 2018 for example, 12 minimum program States
    received minimum program make-up funds totaling approximately $18
    million. It should be noted that other AML programs may become minimum
    programs in the future requiring additional funds for this category.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        SMCRA has been successful largely as a result of the cooperative
    Federalism model that it employs. While the States and Tribes
    understand and appreciate OSMRE's role in the AML program under SMCRA,
    we caution against using limited OSMRE funding for unproductive ends,
    for example OSMRE oversight that second-guesses State/Tribal
    assessments or requires unnecessary levels of supplemental information
    that does not advance program purposes. Rather than having OSMRE simply
    engaging in more oversight, the States and Tribes would benefit from a
    more collaborative relationship with OSMRE in completing the hard work
    associated with these program requirements. Minimum program States are
    particularly reliant on this type of support. For example, we believe
    that funding for technical assistance and applied science projects
    related to AML work is particularly important. We also urge the
    Subcommittee to maintain necessary funding for OSMRE's training program
    and TIPS, including moneys for State/Tribal travel. These programs are
    central to the effective implementation of State and Tribal AML
    programs as they provide necessary training and continuing education
    for State/Tribal agency personnel, as well as critical technical
    assistance.
        We also strongly support maintaining funding for the Watershed
    Cooperative Agreements in the amount of $1.5 million. This funding
    serves an important role in facilitating State and local partnerships,
    thereby helping to leverage outside sources of funding and preserve
    precious reclamation grant funding.\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ Funding for these agreements will also potentially be a key
    support for Good Samaritan programs and projects should Congress adopt
    legislative language supporting Good Samaritan clean up activities.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        NAAMLP strongly recommends an increase in annual funding available
    to minimum program States. These States often have very significant AML
    inventories but funding under the current grant distribution formula is
    not enough to make efficient progress with their AML inventories.\3\ In
    the interest of enabling these AML programs to fulfill their potential,
    NAAMLP believes an increase in minimum program funding to an annual
    grant amount of at least $5 million would be very beneficial.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ At the current rate, some minimum program States have AML
    inventories that would literally take hundreds of years to reclaim
    completely.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Further to the goal of efficiency in the use of limited AML grant
    funding, sequestration of AML grants under the Budget Control Act of
    2013 is an increasing concern to the State and Tribal AML programs. In
    fiscal year 2019, a sequestration reduction of 6.2 percent translated
    to $19.2 million withheld for a total of approximately $137.8 million
    withheld since 2013.\4\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ For minimum program States only receiving $3 million per year
    the loss is especially problematic.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        NAAMLP recommends that Congress consider the exemption of the AML
    fund from sequestration a priority as it pursues legislative
    initiatives related to AML, as the benefits are patent, and every
    dollar of AML funding is needed. Because the AML fee is paid by the
    coal mining industry for the exclusive purpose of AML remediation,
    withholding that funding does not actually reduce the Federal budget
    deficit--but it does mean less money returned to local economies.
    NAAMLP also recommends that the subcommittee explore mechanisms to
    release the growing balance of withheld AML moneys related to
    sequestration as part of the appropriations process.\5\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \5\ According to OSMRE, the specific amounts that have been
    withheld from each State or Tribe are being tracked so that, once OSMRE
    has authority to distribute those funds, they could be repaid to the
    State and Tribal AML programs for which they were originally intended.
    According to OSMRE, there is no authority to distribute withheld funds
    unless provided by Congress.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        NAAMLP also recommends attention be given to the way AML
    emergencies are handled under Title IV. Responding to sudden
    emergencies such as sinkholes and landslides is one of the AML
    programs' most important functions. Starting in 2010, OSMRE instituted
    a policy whereby State and Tribal AML programs must fund AML
    emergencies from their regular AML grants. This change has proven
    problematic, especially in that it diverts grant funding away from
    progress with AML inventories.\6\ NAAMLP recommends a return to the
    pre-2010 system wherein AML programs received reimbursement from the
    OSMRE discretionary share for emergency projects. This will encourage
    efficient progress with reclamation as well as ensure that the State
    and Tribal AML programs are well equipped to fulfill their important
    public safety role.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ This is a particular problem for minimum program States, who
    can have entire years worth of progress with their limited annual grant
    be preempted by a single emergency project.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The Committee's recognition of the important role played by the AML
    program is evidenced by the ongoing provision of AML Economic
    Development Grant funds. The projects underway due to this pilot
    program exhibit potential economic as well as safety and environmental
    benefit, though the types of projects undertaken and benefits they hope
    to achieve have varied significantly between the States. The pilot has
    also served to inform potential future economic development-focused
    reclamation efforts. NAAMLP therefore opposes the reduction of funding
    for the pilot program in OSMRE's fiscal year 2020 proposed budget, and
    notes that these grants are not redundant to regular AML grant funding;
    pilot funding has a distinctly economically-focused purpose, whereas
    regular AML grant funding is focused on human and environmental health.
        While the pilot program has been generally successful so far, and
    OSMRE's guidance documentation has been helpful, the States involved
    with the pilot program recommend that OSMRE's project vetting process
    could be more efficient. Several States are experiencing back-ups as
    they await project approvals from OSMRE for their pilot project
    proposals, which could cause significant delays if construction seasons
    are allowed to expire before projects can get underway. A degree of
    shift in the direction of efficiency may aid the overall success of the
    program at this juncture.
        Beyond the coal sector, NAAMLP represents many States with
    significant hardrock AML problems within their borders.\7\ In the
    absence of a hardrock AML funding source comparable to Title IV funding
    for coal AML, State and Tribal hardrock AML programs struggle to
    maintain adequate funding and make consistent progress. There is no
    comprehensive account of the scale of the hardrock AML problem, but it
    is often cited as being in the tens of billions of dollars. In light of
    the disparity between available funding and the scale of the problem,
    NAAMLP expressed concern with significant reduction to hardrock AML
    funding contained in BLM's previous years' (fiscal year 2019) proposed
    budget. We are encouraged by the change contained in the fiscal year
    2020 proposed budget in this respect, which would still combine the AML
    program with the hazardous materials program, but would maintain the
    total funding previously provided.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \7\ For example, Arizona alone estimates that they have in excess
    of 50,000 hazardous historic-mining hazards. More information about
    remaining AML reclamation costs and reclamation accomplishments can be
    found in NAAMLP's 2018 Update of the ``Safeguarding, Reclaiming,
    Restoring'' booklet.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        BLM hardrock AML funding is one of very few resources available for
    hardrock AML reclamation and water treatment. The majority of hardrock
    AML problems occur on Federal lands, meaning that the BLM AML program
    is the primary means of addressing public safety and environmental
    impacts. What's more, BLM cooperates closely with the State and Tribal
    AML programs to conduct this work, meaning that the cut to BLM funding
    will have a cascading negative effect on the State level programs.
    NAAMLP recommends BLM's hardrock AML program funding be maintained
    going forward.
        Returning to discussion of coal AML--with the AML fee on which the
    Title IV program relies set to expire in 2021, NAAMLP has been in
    engaged in serious discussions regarding the program's future. It is
    clear that the continuing need for these programs is strong. The AML
    pilot highlights the fact that AML work is especially important to the
    struggling communities in Appalachia who have been hit hardest by
    downturns in coal related employment--the mitigation of which has been
    a congressional and administration priority in recent years. AML sites
    endanger public health and safety, degrade the environment, and dampen
    economic prospects, which severely constrains well-being and growth in
    AML-impacted communities nationwide. AML programs have been contending
    with these issues for almost 40 years and have learned much about the
    true depth and scale of AML impacts over that time, as well as the
    health and economic benefits these projects bring to nearby
    communities.
        Despite the progress that has been made, the time allotted to the
    AML programs to restore impacts from more than two hundred years of
    unregulated coal mining has simply not been adequate to complete that
    mission by the time the AML fee expires in 2021. Current OSMRE
    estimates project that over $10 billion in reclamation costs will
    remain, and NAAMLP believes the true costs are significantly higher.
    There can be little question that if the AML program is to complete its
    mission, and if its fundamental contributions to living conditions and
    economic circumstances in coalfield communities are to continue,
    additional AML funding will be required beyond 2021. If the AML fee is
    not reauthorized, consideration must be given to how the more than $10
    billion in public liability represented by remaining coal AML costs
    will be contended with.
        NAAMLP believes that discussion around reauthorization of the AML
    program will soon come to forefront. At that time, important questions
    will be asked about how much and what type of AML work is being
    accomplished and what types of AML problems remain. It should be noted
    that the AML accomplishments data furnished by OSMRE through its budget
    justifications document and the e-AMLIS database represent only a
    selective portion of the work that is being accomplished through AML
    grant funding. This is mainly due to the fact that e-AMLIS only records
    construction costs and does not include data on costs such as program
    administration, project management, and most importantly, project
    design. NAAMLP has been working with OSMRE to examine data related to
    the AML program and is in the late stages of developing information to
    more accurately tell the story of the AML program. As an example of
    what has so far been produced by that effort, the NAAMLP 2017
    Accomplishments report can be found in the footnote below.\8\ The State
    and Tribal AML programs have been in the lead role in conducting
    reclamation and tracking progress for the last 40 years. We hope to
    work closely with the Committee as it considers the future of the AML
    program.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \8\ NAAMLP 2017 Accomplishments Report: http://www.naamlp.net/
    memberinfo/NAAMLP
    AccomplishmentReport2017.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Thank you for the opportunity to submit this statement regarding
    OSMRE's proposed budget for fiscal year 2020. I would be happy to
    answer any questions you may have or provide additional information.

        [This statement was submitted by Autumn Coleman, Manager of the
    Abandoned Mine Lands Program of the Montana Department of Environmental
    Quality on Behalf of the National Association of Abandoned Mine Land
    Programs re. the fiscal year 2020 Proposed Budget for the Office of
    Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) and Bureau of Land
    Management (BLM).]
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies
        On behalf of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies
    (NACAA), thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony on the
    fiscal year 2020 budget for the United States Environmental Protection
    Agency (EPA), particularly grants to State and local air pollution
    control agencies under Sections 103 and 105 of the Clean Air Act (CAA),
    which are part of the State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) program.
    NACAA has three recommendations with respect to fiscal year 2020
    appropriations. First, the association urges Congress to increase
    Federal grants to State and local air pollution control agencies by $82
    million above fiscal year 2019 levels (i.e., approximately $158 million
    above the administration's fiscal year 2020 request), for a total of
    $310 million. In light of the need for additional funding, NACAA
    opposes the administration's proposal to cut State and local air
    quality grants by 33 percent (from $228 million in fiscal year 2019 to
    $152 million in fiscal year 2020). Such cuts would be detrimental to
    the public's health and welfare. Second, NACAA recommends that State
    and local air quality agencies be provided the flexibility to use any
    additional grants to address the highest priority programs in their
    areas. Third, NACAA requests that Congress retain grants for monitoring
    fine particulate matter (PM2.5) under the authority of
    Section 103 of the Clean Air Act, rather than shifting it to Section
    105.
        NACAA is the national, non-partisan, non-profit association of air
    pollution control agencies in 41 States, including 114 local air
    agencies, the District of Columbia and four territories. These agencies
    have the ``primary responsibility'' under the Clean Air Act for
    implementing our Nation's clean air programs. As such, they carry out
    an array of critical activities intended to improve and maintain air
    quality and protect public health.
        NACAA first wishes to thank the subcommittee for the commitment to
    air quality that you have shown for many years. We recognize there are
    insufficient resources for you to support all the requests you receive
    from many competing and worthwhile programs. While over the years there
    have been some recommendations from the administration to cut funding
    for State and local air quality grants, you have steadfastly recognized
    the importance of these programs and have opted to not reduce our
    resources. We would like to take this opportunity to express our
    appreciation and to explain the importance of providing additional
    funding for these important programs going forward.
           there is a strong need for additional air quality funding
        A good national air quality program is an essential investment in
    America. The sad fact is more Americans die or get sick from air
    pollution than from almost any other environmental or domestic problem
    facing our Nation. Tens of thousands of people die prematurely each
    year in this country as a result of exposure to such air pollutants as
    particulate matter, ozone and hundreds of toxic compounds.
    Additionally, millions suffer serious health problems, such as cancer
    and cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological and reproductive damage.
    According to EPA's estimates, in 2016 over 120 million people lived in
    counties with air quality that did not meet the health-based standards
    for at least one of the six ``criteria pollutants.'' \1\ Additionally,
    millions of Americans are exposed to risks from hazardous air
    pollutants.\2\ State and local air pollution control agencies work
    tirelessly, and without sufficient resources, to address these threats
    to public health and welfare by implementing the Clean Air Act.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-08/documents/
    fy-2018-2022-epa-strategic-plan-print.pdf (page 8)
        \2\ https://www.epa.gov/national-air-toxics-assessment/2014-nata-
    assessment-results#nationwide
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The responsibilities facing these agencies have continued to grow
    while, unfortunately, Federal funding has lagged behind. Federal grants
    to State and local air quality agencies under Sections 103 and 105 of
    the CAA were $228 million in fiscal year 2019, which is the same amount
    these agencies received 15 years ago, in fiscal year 2004. If the
    fiscal year 2004 figure is adjusted for inflation, level funding would
    translate to approximately $310 million in today's dollars--an $82-
    million difference. While the need for increases is far greater,
    NACAA's recommendation for Section 103 and 105 grants in fiscal year
    2020 is merely for level funding, adjusted for inflation--or $310
    million.
        State and local air quality agencies have made do with inadequate
    resources for many years. While the Clean Air Act envisioned the
    Federal Government supporting up to 60 percent of the cost of State and
    local air programs, the truth is it provides only 25 percent and in
    some cases much less, while State and local agencies provide the
    remaining 75 percent. While we understand Congress is not able to grant
    increases to fully meet the needs of our clean air programs, even the
    modest increases we are requesting will help.
        On a day-to-day basis, as part of our ``core'' programs, our
    agencies carry out a host of essential resource-intensive activities,
    including monitoring, compiling emission inventories, planning,
    conducting sophisticated modeling, permitting and inspecting sources
    and adopting and enforcing regulations. It takes a tremendous effort to
    keep up with our existing responsibilities, especially when one
    considers that since fiscal year 2004, we have received the same dollar
    amount we do now while the purchasing power of our grants has
    diminished by more than 30 percent.
        The ongoing and essential core programs we have identified are only
    a part of the picture. State and local air quality agencies are also
    called upon to address new and emerging issues. Our responsibilities
    continue to expand as new regulations, technologies, monitoring,
    controls and other elements of our programs become more sophisticated.
    Additionally, the public is demanding more information and assistance
    from State and local air quality agencies, including, for example, data
    related to wildfires and natural disasters that can be used to
    understand the level of risk and how they may protect themselves.
        Air quality monitoring is just one area where the public expects
    and demands new and evolving State and local efforts. The State of
    technology is advancing at a rapid pace, including the ability of
    individuals and organizations to obtain and use localized monitoring
    and sensor equipment. Our agencies will need resources to manage the
    air quality data that the public is generating and to develop the
    sensible programs that the public will demand to address any air
    quality issues that may come to light.
        Another activity for which additional Federal funding is critically
    needed is training of State and local air quality staff. We are facing
    an unprecedented rate of retirements and staff turnover, resulting in a
    loss of invaluable institutional knowledge. Having well-trained staff
    not only helps air agencies to operate more effectively, but it allows
    them to be more efficient and provide better customer service to the
    public and the regulated community. It is critically important that we
    have the resources to ensure that air agency staff are well trained and
    ready to take on the responsibilities they will face in an ever more
    complicated program.
        In addition to the aforementioned examples, how else would State
    and local air quality agencies spend increased Federal grants? The list
    is very long, but a few activities for which additional funding is
    necessary include the following:

      --reducing concentrations of fine particulate matter;
      --improving small business compliance assistance;
      --modernizing modeling and other estimation tools;
      --improving emission inventories of air pollutants;
      --increasing the frequency of inspections;
      --developing new strategies to meet our health-based air quality
            standards;
      --improving risk assessment capabilities; and
      --helping the public better understand air pollution and how to
            protect their health.

        All these activities are critical to our mission to reduce air
    pollution, maintain the many improvements we have already made and
    continue to protect public health and welfare, as we have been charged
    to do by the people of this country. Additionally, well-funded and
    well-functioning air agencies can help support the economy through
    timely, well-reasoned responses and actions.
                  flexibility in the use of funds is important
        Each area of the country faces its own unique air quality
    challenges. A one-size-fits-all strategy would not result in the best
    use of additional funding. For example, while an area in the West may
    wish to use additional resources on activities related to air pollution
    from wildfires, an area in the East may find a better use of increased
    funding for ozone-related programs. It is important, therefore, that
    State and local agencies be provided with the flexibility to use the
    increased funds on the highest priority programs in their areas.
      nacaa recommends that authority for monitoring grants remain under
                                  section 103
        EPA has proposed in recent years to begin shifting funds for
    PM2.5 monitoring from Section 103 authority, where no State
    or local matching funds are needed, to Section 105, which would require
    additional matching funds. We recommend that the funds remain under
    Section 103 authority. For individual agencies that have concerns about
    the matching requirements, this will ensure that they do not have to
    refuse essential monitoring funds because they do not have the
    resources to provide the required match. In past years, Congress has
    been very responsive to our requests on this issue, for which we are
    very grateful, and we recommend that Congress again call for these
    grants to be provided under Section 103 authority.
                                   conclusion
        State and local clean air agencies work to protect the public every
    day. Investing in them pays major dividends in avoided healthcare
    costs. NACAA urges Congress to (1) increase Federal grants to State and
    local air agencies by $82 million above the fiscal year 2019 level of
    $228 million, for a total of $310 million (i.e., $158 million above the
    administration's fiscal year 2020 request); (2) provide flexibility to
    State and local air agencies to use any additional grants to address
    the highest priority programs in their areas; and (3) retain grants for
    monitoring fine particulate matter under the authority of Section 103.
        Thank you very much for this opportunity to provide testimony. If
    you have any questions or require additional information, please
    contact Miles Keogh, Executive Director of NACAA, at
    mkeogh@4cleanair.org or Mary Sullivan Douglas, Senior Staff Associate,
    at mdouglas@4cleanair.org.
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies
        The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) represents
    a growing network of 325 public wastewater and stormwater agencies
    nationwide who collectively serve more than 125 million Americans.
    NACWA thanks the subcommittee for its work to provide strong funding
    for clean water programs, and in particular for the significant funding
    increases achieved the past two fiscal years for core water
    infrastructure programs. Looking to build on that strengthened Federal
    funding partnership, below are our fiscal year 2020 EPA Appropriations
    priorities.
    Program: Clean Water State Revolving Fund
    Funding Request: $3.4 B (2x fiscal year 2019 enacted)
        The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a critical tool
    which municipal clean water agencies leverage to help meet their
    Federal obligations under the Clean Water Act (CWA). In the United
    States, more than 90 percent of water infrastructure investment
    currently comes through local ratepayer and State investment.
    Importantly, the low-interest loans--and in limited cases, grants and
    loan forgiveness--that the CWSRF facilitates help clean water agencies
    finance infrastructure investments at favorable rates and better manage
    impacts to ratepayers.
        The CWSRF has demonstrated success in facilitating infrastructure
    investment in communities large and small. NACWA greatly appreciates
    the subcommittee's work to increase funding from $1.394B in fiscal year
    2017 to $1.694B in fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019. We urge
    continued support and consideration for further increased funding to
    reflect the ongoing need for infrastructure investment.
        The CWSRF is even more crucial at a time when sewer and water rate
    increases are outpacing the rate of inflation. Preliminary analysis
    from NACWA's annual rate survey found that in 2018, the national
    average cost of wastewater services rose faster than the rate of
    inflation for the 17th year in a row, rising 3.8 percent. Key drivers
    of rising rates include Federal consent decrees requirements,
    associated capital construction and debt service, combined sewer
    overflow (CSO) and sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) control projects,
    sewer rehabilitation and replacement, and the increasing cost of
    addressing regulatory requirements related to water quality challenges
    like nutrient impairment.
        In many communities, the CWSRF has been instrumental to their
    success in complying with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
    System (NPDES) permits, implementing secondary (biological) treatment
    of wastewater, reducing the frequency and size of sewer overflows
    during wet weather events and upgrading infrastructure. The CWSRF is
    also essential for many communities working to implement new regulatory
    requirements ranging from updated water quality standards for toxics to
    tightening nutrient limitations. The CWSRF is increasingly used to
    implement innovative stormwater and nutrient management projects and
    green infrastructure.
    Program: Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants
    Funding Request: $225 M
        The 115th Congress authorized $225 million in the America's Water
    Infrastructure Act (Public Law115-270) in fiscal year 2020 for grants
    to States and municipal entities for treatment works to intercept,
    transport, control, treat, or reuse municipal combined CSO, SSO, and/or
    stormwater. This new program was proposed for funding ($61.45M) in the
    President's fiscal year 2020 budget proposal.
        Controlling sewer overflows and ensuring proper stormwater
    management are essential to protecting public health and the
    environment. Compliance is very costly, however, placing financial
    strain on many communities and their ratepayers. It can be especially
    challenging for older communities dealing with aging infrastructure
    alongside population and economic shifts. For these reasons, NACWA was
    thrilled to see these grants authorized by Congress and believes it is
    critical that this authorization is fully funded. These Federal
    investment grants will help communities and their ratepayers more
    affordably meet their compliance obligations and mitigate against the
    negative impacts of CSO and SSO discharges into local waterbodies. The
    inclusion of stormwater management will help in developed areas with
    impervious surfaces where stormwater systems can be overwhelmed and may
    create flooding, infrastructure and environmental concerns, or where
    stormwater presents water reuse opportunities.
    Program: Integrated Planning (EPA Environmental Programs & Management)
    Funding Request: Provide $2 M for implementation of Integrated Planning
            legislation and the Office of Municipal Ombudsman
        Last Congress, the bipartisan Water Infrastructure Improvement Act
    (Public Law No: 115-436) was passed into law, codifying EPA's
    Integrated Planning (IP) Framework to provide local communities with
    critical flexibilities in meeting their CWA obligations and ensuring
    residents continue receiving safe, reliable, and affordable clean water
    services. The bill also included a provision which establishes a
    Municipal Ombudsman's office within EPA to provide municipalities with
    a dedicated point of contact within the Agency who can represent their
    interests to help them comply with their CWA and other environmental
    obligations, as well as ensure Agency policies are being implemented
    appropriately and consistently at the local level.
        These are essential developments to help public clean water
    utilities and the communities they serve. The integrated planning
    approach helps communities prioritize their specific clean water
    obligations and better manage costs over time. EPA will need to work
    collaboratively with the States and municipalities to build awareness
    of this voluntary approach and provide appropriate guidance/
    facilitation to help States and clean water utilities make full use of
    integrated planning in line with Congress's intent. The establishment
    of a Municipal Ombudsman office is important at a time when regulatory
    compliance is becoming more onerous and complicated for communities to
    navigate. The ombudsman will provide a crucial role as it acts as a
    liaison between EPA and the municipal regulated community to help
    address these regulatory concerns.
        Directing Federal resources toward implementation will help ensure
    EPA has the resources to fully implement the law and assist the States
    and interested municipalities. NACWA urges $2 million in fiscal year
    2020 for EPA to fund implementation of the Water Infrastructure
    Improvement Act.
    Program: Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Program
    Funding Request: $1 M
        Over the next decade, the clean water sector is expected to incur a
    large wave of retirements among utility workers. Some municipalities
    could be facing a situation where up to 50 percent of their staff are
    eligible for retirement at the same time. This presents a challenge--
    most of these jobs require education and training--but also an
    opportunity since these positions provide a good career with
    competitive wages.
        America's Water Infrastructure Act responded to this issue by
    establishing a new competitive grant program at EPA for water workforce
    development activities. Under the legislation, the program is
    authorized to develop and utilize innovative activities relating to
    water utility workforce development, expand public awareness about
    water utilities and connect individuals to careers. This new program
    was proposed for $300,000 in the President's fiscal year 2020 budget
    proposal.
    Program: Stormwater Infrastructure Funding Task Force
    Funding Request: $1 M
        America's Water Infrastructure Act directed EPA to establish a task
    force to study and develop recommendations on stormwater infrastructure
    funding. The task force is to be comprised of Federal, State, local,
    and non-governmental entities and would evaluate public and private
    funding sources for constructing, rehabilitating, operating and
    maintaining stormwater infrastructure. NACWA requests $1 million in
    fiscal year 2020 to get the task force up and running.
    Program: Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA)
            Program
    Funding Request: $68 Million
        The WIFIA program is a compliment to the SRFs, providing an
    additional financing tool to address water infrastructure investment by
    leveraging limited Federal resources. First authorized in 2014, it was
    designed primarily to fund large water infrastructure projects over $20
    million. NACWA has been engaged and pleased with the Agency's efforts
    to establish the program and provide financing assistance. NACWA is
    strongly supportive of the increased funding WIFIA received in fiscal
    year 2019, at a level of $68 million, and encourages that amount for
    fiscal year 2020.
    Program: Geographic Programs
    Funding Request: Full funding across EPA's Geographic Programs
        EPA's Geographic Programs, such as the Great Lakes Restoration
    Initiative, Chesapeake Bay Program, and Long Island Sound among others,
    support critical watershed-based investments. The goals and impacts of
    these programs cross multiple States, impact waters of national
    significance, and leverage significant State, local, and private
    dollars. In many cases, the geographic programs have helped forge
    partnerships between clean water agencies, upstream landowners,
    conservation groups, and other stakeholders to strategically advance
    water quality, reduce historic contamination, restore habitat, and
    advance the CWA goals of fishable and swimmable waters. NACWA is
    encouraged by the strong bipartisan congressional support these
    programs enjoy and urges Appropriators to maintain full funding for
    these programs in fiscal year 2020.
    Program: Categorical Grants: Nonpoint Source Sec. 319
    Funding Request: $170.1 M (Maintain fiscal year 2019 enacted level)
        The CWA has been remarkably successful in reducing point source
    discharges. In many watersheds, nonpoint sources remain the largest
    outstanding driver of water quality impairments. Thus, continued
    progress on improving water quality under the CWA relies in large part
    on the ability to improve nonpoint source management. Nonpoint sources
    also contribute to acute public health risks such as harmful algal
    blooms and threats to drinking water.
        Nonpoint source grants are provided to State, Tribes, and
    territories to aid implementation of EPA approved Nonpoint Source
    Management Programs under Sec. 319 of the CWA. Activities provided
    under these programs include technical and financial assistance to
    municipalities, outreach, and technology transfer and training. These
    programs also help monitor and assess the impacts of nonpoint
    management projects, an area where continued research and documentation
    is in demand by public entities and the private sector.
    Program: Categorical Grants: Pollution Control Sec. 106
    Funding Request: $230.1 M (Maintain fiscal year 2019 enacted level)
        Under Sec. 106 of the CWA, EPA provides Federal assistance for
    States and Tribes in implementing their water pollution control
    programs in accordance with CWA. Strong State programs are essential to
    the cooperative Federalism approach of the Act. The clean water
    agencies represented by NACWA continually engage with their State
    programs offices on all aspects of CWA permitting, compliance and
    enforcement. Reductions in funding may impact the functioning of State
    programs to the detriment of the regulated community.
    Program: National Priorities Water Research Program
    Funding Request: $20 M
        Since 2012, Congress supported the National Priorities Water
    Research grant program by providing approximately $4 million in EPA's
    Science and Technology Account. This funding has advanced the science
    of priority research topics through applied, extramural research. This
    successful program provides direct benefit to water sector utilities
    through increased knowledge, tools, and transformative approaches that
    can improve public health outcomes and lower costs. However, more
    funding is needed to meet growing challenges. NACWA urges increased
    funding for the National Priorities Water Research grant program to $20
    million for fiscal year 2020.
    Program: Innovative Financing for State Loan Funds
    Funding Request: $5 M
        America's Water Infrastructure Act included a pilot program
    provision allowing state financing authorities that administer the SRFs
    to apply for WIFIA loans directly through EPA, applying with a single
    application in which the State would bundle multiple projects on the
    State's approved intended use plan. Under this provision, such WIFIA
    loans to States would allow for 100 percent WIFIA financing (as
    compared to the existing program, in which WIFIA financing can total no
    more than 49 percent of total project cost), require only one credit
    rating letter (rather than two), and provide expedited application
    review for States. NACWA requests that the $5 million authorized under
    the legislation be appropriated in fiscal year 2020.
        Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact
    NACWA to discuss.
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the National Association of Conservation
                                   Districts

    March 8, 2019

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski                The Honorable Tom Udall
    Chairman                                    Ranking Member
    Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and  Subcommittee on Interior,
     Related Agencies                            Environment, and Related
    Committee on Appropriations                  Agencies
    United States Senate                        Committee on Appropriations
    Washington, DC, 20510                       United States Senate
                                                Washington, DC, 20510

    Dear Chairman and Ranking Member:

        I am Tim Palmer, President of the National Association of
    Conservation Districts (NACD) which represents America's 3,000
    conservation districts and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their
    governing boards. Conservation districts are local units of government
    established under State law to carry out natural resource management
    programs at the local level. Districts work with millions of
    cooperating landowners and operators to help them manage and protect
    land and water resources on all private lands and many public lands in
    the United States. The following requests are for the EPA, the U.S.
    Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
        The 319 Nonpoint Source Grants are critically important to stream
    bank stabilization, stormwater management, low-impact development, and
    other projects led by conservation districts to address water quality
    at the local level. Working lands are under increased pressure to
    produce food, feed, fuel, and fiber for the world's growing population.
    Because of this reality, it is more important than ever that we
    dedicate the resources necessary to ensure local communities continue
    to have access to and realize the benefits of clean water. For fiscal
    year 2020, NACD respectfully requests an appropriation of $171 million
    for Environmental Protection Agency's 319 Nonpoint Source Grants.
        State and Private Forestry is one of the few U.S. Forest Service
    (USFS) programs that provide technical and financial assistance to
    private landowners. For this reason, State and Private Forestry
    programs should be staffed and funded at levels that allow for strong
    public-private partnerships and ensure greater forest management and
    economic opportunity on private, non-industrial forest lands. NACD
    requests $339 million in the fiscal year 2020 Interior appropriations
    bill for the U.S. Forest Service's State and Private Forestry programs,
    which includes a small increase to the incredibly important Forest
    Stewardship program to $23 million.
        The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 as amended
    directs U.S. Federal agencies to manage wild herds to ``maintain a
    thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship'' on
    herd management areas (HMAs). Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
    scientists have established appropriate management levels (AML) to
    achieve that balance. Unfortunately, current management efforts
    including limited gathers, fertility control via PZP, adoptions and
    sales have failed to control the ever-increasing horse and burro
    population, which continues to strain the natural resource capabilities
    of these lands beyond their carrying capacity, resulting in rangelands
    that in certain areas are already unrecoverable. As a programmatic
    request, NACD supports the removal of the Interior Appropriations
    language that prevents BLM from using all the tools to bring the horse
    and burro population to AML provided under the Act and opposes similar
    language being applied to the U.S. Forest Service.
        The Federal Government currently owns an estimated 640 million
    acres, equivalent to the combined size of Alaska, Texas and California.
    NACD believes that the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) should
    no longer be used for additional land acquisition, but rather provide
    maintenance to our roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure.
    According to the Department of the Interior, there is $16 billion in
    deferred maintenance needs among its agencies with the National Park
    Service making up the largest share of that total. As a programmatic
    request, NACD supports a prohibition of funds from LWCF for new land
    acquisition and recommends LWCF be used to pay for the deferred
    maintenance.
        Thank you for your consideration of these requests. We look forward
    to working with you as we continue to serve the nation through locally-
    led natural resource conservation.

    Sincerely,

    Tim Palmer
    NACD President
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the National Association of State Energy
                                   Officials
        Chair Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee, I am David Terry, Executive Director of the National
    Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), which represents the 56
    State and Territory Energy Directors and their Offices. NASEO is
    submitting this testimony in support of funding for the ENERGY STAR
    program (within the Climate Protection Partnership Division of the
    Office of Air and Radiation) at the U.S. Environmental Protection
    Agency (EPA). NASEO supports funding of at least $50 million in fiscal
    year 2020, including specific report language directing that the funds
    be utilized only for the ENERGY STAR program. The ENERGY STAR program
    is successful, voluntary, and cost-effective. The program has a proven
    track record--it makes sense, it saves energy and money and Americans
    embrace it. ENERGY STAR helps consumers and businesses control
    expenditures over the long term. The program is strongly supported by
    product manufacturers, utilities and homebuilders, and ENERGY STAR
    leverages the States' voluntary efficiency actions. Voluntary ENERGY
    STAR activities are occurring in public buildings, such as schools, in
    conjunction with State Energy Offices, in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas,
    California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia,
    Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan,
    Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
    New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma,
    Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia
    Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The proposed
    elimination of this program is a grave mistake. We also strongly oppose
    the creation of a ``fee-based'' funding model, which could erode the
    program's integrity. The States and the public utilize ENERGY STAR
    because it is seen as unbiased and delivers cost-savings benefits to
    businesses, consumers and State and local governments.
        The ENERGY STAR program is focused on voluntary efforts that reduce
    the use of energy, promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy, and
    works with States, local governments, communities and business to
    achieve these goals in a cooperative, public-private manner. NASEO has
    worked very closely with EPA and approximately 40 States are ENERGY
    STAR Partners. With very limited funding, EPA's ENERGY STAR program
    works closely with the State Energy Offices to give consumers and
    businesses the opportunity and technical assistance tools to make
    better energy decisions and catalyzes product efficiency improvements
    by manufacturers without regulation or mandates. The program is
    voluntary.
        ENERGY STAR focuses on energy efficient products as well as
    buildings (e.g., residential, commercial, and industrial). Over 300
    million ENERGY STAR qualified products were sold in 2016 alone. The
    ENERGY STAR label is recognized across the United States.
    Approximately, 90 percent of households recognized the ENERGY STAR
    label when it was shown to them. It makes the work of the State Energy
    Offices much easier, by working with the public on easily recognized
    products, services, and targets. In order to obtain the ENERGY STAR
    label a product has to meet established guidelines. ENERGY STAR's
    voluntary partnership programs include ENERGY STAR Buildings, ENERGY
    STAR Homes, ENERGY STAR Small Business, and ENERGY STAR Labeled
    Products. The program operates by encouraging consumers and working
    closely with State and local governments to purchase these products and
    services. Marketplace barriers are also eradicated through education.
    State Energy Offices are working with EPA to promote ENERGY STAR
    products, ENERGY STAR for new construction, ENERGY STAR for public
    housing, etc. A successful example of how State Energy Offices are
    leveraging this key national program is the Nebraska Energy Office,
    which since 2005, has utilized ENERGY STAR as the standard for
    certifying home and office electronics that are eligible under the
    State's successful and long-running Dollar and Energy Savings Loan
    program. Another ENERGY STAR success is in the manufactured housing
    sector. States, such as South Carolina, offer modest rebates for
    ENERGSTAR manufactured homes in order to deliver both energy cost
    savings to homeowners and lower overall electric grid operation costs
    for all customers.
        In 2016, millions of consumers and 16,000 voluntary partners, that
    included manufactures, builders, businesses, communities and utilities,
    tapped the value of ENERGY STAR and achieved impressive financial and
    environmental results.
        An estimated 91,000 energy efficiency home improvement projects
    were undertaken through the whole house retrofit program, Home
    Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES), in 2016. More than 700 utilities,
    State, and local governments and non-profits utilize ENERGY STAR, as do
    1,800 manufacturers.
        The State Energy Offices are very encouraged with progress made at
    EPA and in our States to promote programs to make schools more energy
    efficient, in addition to an expanding ENERGY STAR Business Partners
    program. In Kentucky, the State has partnered with school districts and
    engineering firms to advance ENERGY STAR rated schools, resulting in
    more than 325 ENERGY STAR rated schools in the State, a 67 percent
    increase since 2012. Over the past few years, Kentucky has moved
    aggressively to promote and build zero-net energy schools. Other States
    that have over 150 ENERGY STAR rated schools include Arizona,
    California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota,
    New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah,
    Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Over 27 percent of Utah's K-12
    schools are certified as ENERGY STAR.
        EPA provides technical assistance to the State Energy Offices in
    such areas as ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (how to rate the
    performance of buildings), setting an energy target, and financing
    options for building improvements and building upgrade strategies.
    ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is used extensively by State Energy
    Offices to benchmark performance of State and municipal buildings,
    saving taxpayer dollars. Portfolio Manager is the industry-leading
    benchmarking tool which has been used voluntarily in approximately 50
    percent of the commercial buildings in the U.S. Portfolio Manager is
    used to measure, track, assess, and report energy and water
    consumption.
        Additionally, the industrial sector embraces ENERGY STAR and
    companies such as GM, Eastman Chemical, Nissan, Raytheon, Boeing and
    Toyota are recognized for sustained energy excellence by the program.
    At the close of 2014, the number of industrial sites committed to the
    ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry grew, while 306 sites met or
    exceeded their targets by achieving an average 20 percent reduction in
    industrial energy intensity.
        The State Energy Offices are working cooperatively with our peers
    in the State environmental agencies and State public utilities
    commissions to ensure that programs, regulations, projects and policies
    are developed recognizing both energy and environmental concerns. We
    have worked closely with this program at EPA to address these issues.
    We encourage these continued efforts.
                                   conclusion
        The ENERGY STAR program saves consumers billions of dollars every
    year. The payback is enormous. NASEO supports robust program funding of
    at least $50 million in fiscal year 2020. Funding for the ENERGY STAR
    program is justified. It is a solid public-private relationship that
    leverages resources, time and talent to produce tangible results by
    saving energy and money. NASEO endorses these activities and the State
    Energy Offices are working very closely with EPA to cooperatively
    implement a variety of critical national programs without mandates.
        Contact: David Terry, NASEO Executive Director (dterry@naseo.org),
    1300 North 17th Street, Suite 1275, Arlington, VA 22209, and Jeff
    Genzer, NASEO Counsel (jcg@dwgp.com).

        [This statement was submitted by David Terry, Executive Director.]
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the National Association of State Foresters
        The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) appreciates the
    opportunity to submit written public testimony to the House Committee
    on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related
    Agencies regarding our fiscal year 2020 appropriations recommendations.
    Our priorities focus primarily on appropriations for the USDA Forest
    Service (Forest Service) State and Private Forestry (S&PF) programs.
        State foresters deliver technical and financial assistance, along
    with forest health, water, and wildfire protection for more than two-
    thirds of the Nation's 751 million acres of forests. The Forest Service
    S&PF mission area provides vital support to deliver these services,
    which contribute to the socioeconomic and environmental health of rural
    and urban areas. The comprehensive process for delivering these
    services is articulated in each State's Forest Resource Assessment and
    Strategy (Forest Action Plan), authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill and
    continued in the 2018 Farm Bill. S&PF programs provide a significant
    return on the Federal investment by leveraging the boots-on-the-ground
    and financial resources of State agencies to deliver assistance to
    forest landowners, Tribes, and communities. As Federal and State
    governments continue to face financial challenges, State foresters, in
    partnership with the S&PF mission area of the Forest Service, are best
    positioned to maximize effectiveness of available resources by focusing
    work on priority forest issues where resources are needed most.
        Your support of the following programs is critical to helping
    States address the many and varied challenges outlined in Forest Action
    Plans.
                         wildland fire and forest fuels
        NASF applauds Congress' hard work and dedication to achieve a
    bipartisan wildfire suppression funding solution to permanently end the
    raiding of the Forest Service's non-wildfire suppression programs,
    including the Agency's S&PF programs. We appreciate your continued
    support, as demonstrated in the fiscal year 2019 Appropriations bill,
    in this critical area through additional funding for the Agency's fire
    suppression and prevention accounts, as well as increased funding for
    hazardous fuels mitigation on both Federal lands and cross boundary
    areas. Fire knows no boundaries and State forestry agencies play a
    significant role in helping to reduce threats from fire as well as
    costs. The increased funding for both State Fire Assistance (SFA) and
    Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) in fiscal year 2019 is a wise
    investment and we encourage further financial support for these
    programs.
            state fire assistance and volunteer fire assistance \1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ The President's Budget renamed these programs National Fire
    Capacity and Rural Fire Capacity respectively.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        More people living in fire-prone landscapes, high fuel loads,
    drought, and deteriorating forest health are among the factors that led
    most State foresters to identify wildland fire as a priority issue in
    their Forest Action Plans. We now grapple with increasingly expensive
    and complex wildland fires--fires that frequently threaten human life
    and property. In 2018, more than 58,083 wildland fires burned nearly
    8.8 million acres.\2\ State and local agencies respond to the majority
    of wildfires across the country; in 2018 State and local agencies were
    responsible for responding to 45,559 (78 percent) of the 58,083
    reported wildfires across all jurisdictions.\3\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ National Interagency Fire Center, Historical Wildland Fire
    Summaries, pg. 7. Last accessed March 4, 2019 at https://
    www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2018_statssumm/intro_
    summary18.pdf.
        \3\ Id.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        SFA and VFA are the fundamental Federal mechanism for assisting
    States and local fire departments in responding to wildland fires and
    in conducting management activities that mitigate fire risk on non-
    Federal lands. SFA also helps train and equip local first responders
    who are often first to arrive at a wildland fire incident and who play
    a crucial role in keeping fires and their costs as minimal as possible.
        The fiscal year 2019 Forest Service Budget Justification highlights
    program success in Alaska during fiscal year 2017 when the State used
    $1.6 million in SFA funds to increase capacity by paying for additional
    positions, including air attack operators for initial and extended
    operations, command staff for the statewide control centers, and
    technical experts for interagency fire plans. Funding supported the
    training of over 1,700 personnel, and was also used to defray the costs
    of senior level firefighters in the State of Alaska. These same
    personnel are also dispatched to assist in firefighting efforts across
    the Nation. By directing resources to actions that help reduce the
    number of large wildland fires-including prevention education,
    preparedness activities, and fuels mitigation-the SFA program directly
    addresses concerns over rising wildland fire suppression costs while
    also reducing wildland fire risk to communities.
        In 2015, 85 percent of all local and State crews and engine
    dispatched outside of their geographic area were responding to Federal
    fires, primarily on initial attack. In 2016, 82 percent of the total
    number of fires were where State and local departments had primary
    jurisdiction. Attacking fires when they are small is the key to
    reducing fatalities, injuries, loss of homes, and cutting Federal fire-
    fighting costs. The need for increased funding for fire suppression on
    Federal lands has broad support. The need to increase fire suppression
    funding for State and private lands, where roughly 80 percent of
    wildfires occur, and where many Federal fires begin, is just as urgent.
    NASF supports funding the State Fire Assistance program at $87 million
    and Volunteer Fire Assistance at $18 million in fiscal year 2020.
                        forest pests and invasive plants
        Also among the greatest threats identified in the Forest Action
    Plans are native and non-native pests and diseases. These pests and
    diseases have the potential to displace native trees, shrubs and other
    vegetation types in forests; the Forest Service estimates that hundreds
    of native and non-native insects and diseases damage the Nation's
    forests each year. The growing number of damaging pests and diseases
    are often introduced and spread by way of wooden shipping materials,
    movement of firewood, and through various types of recreation. In 2015,
    more than 6 million forested acres suffered mortality from insects and
    diseases, 1.3 times greater than the previous year,\4\ and there is an
    estimated 81 million acres at risk of attack by insects and disease
    over the next 8 years.\5\ These losses threaten clean and abundant
    water availability, wildlife habitat, clean air, and other
    environmental services. Further, extensive areas of high insect or
    disease mortality can set the stage for large-scale, catastrophic
    wildfire.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ Man, Gary. 2015. Major Forest Insect and Disease Conditions in
    the United States: 2015 Update. Last accessed on March, 5, 2019 at:
    http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/publications/
    ConditionsReport_2015.pdf.
        \5\ Tkacz, Bory, et al. 2014. NIDRM 2012 Report Files: Executive
    Summary. 2013-2027 National Insect and Disease Forest Risk Assessment.
    Last accessed on March, 5, 2019 at: http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/
    technology/pdfs/2012_RiskMap_Exec_summary.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The Cooperative Forest Health Management program supports
    activities related to prevention, monitoring, suppression, and
    eradication of insects, diseases, and plants through provision of
    technical and financial assistance to States and territories to
    maintain healthy, productive forest ecosystems on non-Federal forest
    lands. The Cooperative Forest Health Management program plays a
    critical part in protecting communities already facing outbreaks and in
    preventing exposure of more forests and trees to the devastating and
    costly effects of damaging pests and pathogens. NASF supports funding
    the Forest Health-Cooperative Lands Program at $51 million in fiscal
    year 2020.
    assisting landowners and maintaining working forest landscapes--forest
               stewardship program \6\ and forest legacy program
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ The President's Budget renamed this program Working Forest
    Lands.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Working forest landscapes are a vital part of the rural landscape,
    providing an estimated 900,000 jobs, clean water, wood products, and
    other essential services to millions of Americans. Private forests make
    up two-thirds of all the forestland in the United States and support an
    average of eight jobs per 1,000 acres.\7\ However, the Forest Service
    estimates that 57 million acres of private forests in the U.S. are at
    risk of conversion to urban development over the next two decades.
    Programs like the Forest Stewardship Program (FSP) and the Forest
    Legacy Program are key tools identified in the Forest Action Plans for
    keeping working forests intact and for providing a full suite of
    benefits to society.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \7\ Forest2Market. The Economic Impact of Privately-Owned Forests.
    2009.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        FSP is the most extensive family forest-owner assistance program in
    the country. Management assistance is delivered in cooperation with
    State forestry agencies through technical assistance services and the
    development and implementation of Forest Stewardship Plans. The program
    works to ensure that private landowners have the best information to
    help them manage their land for wildlife, recreation, aesthetics,
    timber production, and many other goals. In fiscal year 2018, nearly 24
    million acres of private forest lands across the Nation were managed
    under Forest Stewardship Plans, and of this total nearly 13 million
    acres are within high priority landscape areas identified in State
    Forest Action Plans. Additionally, FSP supported direct outreach to
    roughly 475,000 landowners which includes 11,888 new Forest Stewardship
    Plans. The technical assistance provided through FSP is a gateway to
    other effective USDA, State, and private sector programs designed to
    help keep working forests intact. For instance, the FSP enables
    landowners to participate in USDA programs including the Forest Legacy
    Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program. NASF supports
    funding the Forest Stewardship Program at $29 million and the Forest
    Legacy Program at $62 million in fiscal year 2020.
                urban and community forest management challenges
        Urban forests are important to achieving energy savings, improved
    air quality, neighborhood stability, aesthetic value, reduced noise,
    and improved quality of life in municipalities and communities around
    the country. Urban trees and forests provide a wide array of social,
    economic, and environmental benefits to people living in urban areas;
    today, more than 83 percent of the Nation's population lives in urban
    areas.\8\ Yet, urban and community forests face serious threats, such
    as development and urbanization, invasive pests and diseases, and fire
    in the wildland urban interface (WUI).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \8\ USDA Forest Service fiscal year 2016 Budget Justification at
    pg. 119.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Since its expansion under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act
    of 1990 (CFAA), the Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry
    (U&CF) program has provided technical and financial assistance to
    promote stewardship of urban forests in communities of all sizes across
    the country. The program is delivered in close partnership with State
    foresters and leverages existing local efforts that have helped
    thousands of communities and towns manage, maintain, and improve their
    tree cover and green spaces. In fiscal year 2016, the U&CF program
    delivered technical, financial, educational, and research assistance to
    nearly 8,000 communities across all 50 States, the District of
    Columbia, U.S. territories and affiliated Pacific Island nations.\9\
    NASF supports funding the Urban and Community Forestry program at $35
    million in fiscal year 2020.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \9\ USDA Forest Service fiscal year 2018 Budget Justification at
    pg. 64.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        importance of forest inventory data in monitoring forest issues
        The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, managed by Forest
    Service, Forest and Rangeland Research, is the only comprehensive
    inventory system in the United States for assessing the health and
    sustainability of the Nation's forests across all ownerships. FIA
    provides essential data related to forest species composition, forest
    growth rates, and forest health data, and it delivers baseline
    inventory estimates used in Forest Action Plans. Further, this data is
    used by academics, researchers, industry, and others to understand
    forest trends and support investments in forest products facilities
    that provide jobs and products to society. The program provides
    unbiased information used in monitoring of wildlife habitat, wildfire
    risk, insect and disease threats, invasive species spread, and response
    to priorities identified in the Forest Action Plans.
        As the key partner in FIA program delivery via State contribution
    of matching funds, State foresters look forward to continued work with
    the Forest Service to improve efficiency in delivery of the program to
    meet the needs of the diverse user groups for FIA data. NASF supports
    funding the Forest Inventory and Analysis program at $83 million in
    fiscal year 2020.
                          landscape scale restoration
        The Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) program is an important way
    that States, in collaboration with the Forest Service and other
    partners, address critical forest priorities across the landscape. LSR
    projects focus on the most critical priorities identified in each
    State's Forest Action Plan and on achieving national goals as laid out
    in the State and Private Forestry national themes. As a result, LSR
    contributes to achieving results across the landscape and to making
    meaningful local, regional, and national impacts. NASF supports funding
    the Landscape Scale Restoration program at $20 million in fiscal year
    2020.
        NASF appreciates the opportunity to share our fiscal year 2020
    appropriations recommendations for the USDA Forest Service with the
    subcommittee.
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the National Association of Tribal Historic
                             Preservation Officers

                       TRIBAL CULTURAL PRESERVATION NEEDS

        Chair Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee, I appreciate this opportunity to present the National
    Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO)'s
    recommendations for fiscal year 2020 appropriations. My name is Valerie
    Grussing and I am the new Executive Director. In this year of
    transition for the organization, we have some grand and exciting plans,
    some of which rely on this subcommittee's continued support for the
    budgetary needs of Tribal cultural preservation activities. Each of the
    recommended line item amounts are discussed in detail below.

        1.  National Park Service, Historic Preservation Fund, Tribal line
    item ($20 million)
        2.  National Park Service, National NAGPRA Program:
             a.  Exclusively for NAGPRA Grants ($2.331 million)
             b.  Program administration ($1 million for Program Use)
        3.  Bureau of Indian Affairs--Create line items and support the
    following divisions:
             a.  12 Regional Offices support for Cultural Resource
    compliance ($3 million)
             b.  Central Office cultural resource efforts throughout the
    bureau ($200,000)
             c.   NAGPRA compliance work ($765,000)
             d.  To fight ARPA crimes on Indian reservations ($200,000)
        4.  Smithsonian Institution: For repatriation activities, including
    Review Committee and repatriation office ($1.25 million)
    Background Information:
        What are Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs)? THPOs are
    appointed by federally recognized Tribal governments that have entered
    into an agreement with the Department of the Interior to assume the
    Federal compliance role of the State HPO, per the National Historic
    Preservation Act. Tribal historic preservation plans are grounded in
    self-determination, traditional knowledge and cultural values, and may
    involve projects to improve Indian schools, roads, health clinics and
    housing. THPOs are the first responders when a sacred site is
    threatened, when an ancestral home is uncovered, and when Native
    ancestors are disturbed by development. THPOs are also often
    responsible for their Tribe's oral history programs and operating
    Tribal museums and cultural centers. They perform many functions and
    responsibilities in Indian country and, through their activities,
    represent an active expression and exercise of Tribal sovereignty.
        What is the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation
    Officers? NATHPO is a national non-profit membership association of
    Tribal government preservation officials committed to protecting
    culturally important places that perpetuate Native identity,
    resilience, and cultural endurance. NATHPO assists Tribal communities
    in protecting their historic properties, whether they are naturally
    occurring in the landscape or are manmade structures.

    1. HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND (HPF), ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL PARK
                           SERVICE--TRIBAL LINE ITEM

                                 ($20 MILLION)

        As of May 1, 2019, there are 185 National Park Service (NPS)-
    recognized Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs). Each THPO
    represents an affirmative step by an Indian Tribe to assume the
    responsibilities of the State Historic Preservation Officers for their
    respective Tribal lands, as authorized by Congress in the 1992
    amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act. Collectively,
    these Tribes exercise responsibilities over a land base exceeding 50
    million acres in 30 States. The HPF is the sole source of Federal
    funding for THPOs and the main source of funding to implement the
    Nation's historic preservation programs. HPF revenue is generated from
    oil and gas development on the outer Continental Shelf. We recommend
    $20 million to carry out the requirements of the National Historic
    Preservation Act. This would provide the nearly 200 federally
    recognized THPOs an average of $100,000 to run their programs. Funding
    THPOs and staff creates jobs, generates economic development, and spurs
    community revitalization. It also facilitates environmental and
    historic review processes, including for infrastructure permitting.
        What is at stake? As the number of Indian Tribes with THPO programs
    increases, the amount of HPF funding appropriated and apportioned to
    THPOs must keep pace. Native American cultural properties on millions
    of acres of Tribal lands are at risk. For the past several years, each
    THPO program has been asked to conduct important Federal compliance
    work with fewer financial resources. In the first year of congressional
    funding support for THPOs (fiscal year 1996), the original 12 THPOs
    each received an average of $83,000 per THPO, while in fiscal year
    2018, 179 Tribes received an average of $64,000. There are expected to
    be almost 200 THPOs in fiscal year 2020. Reconnecting Native peoples to
    their cultural heritage, traditions, and places has the power to help
    heal deep generational wounds. To continue historic preservation and
    cultural revitalization in Indian country, it is essential that THPO
    programs receive increased funding to meet the increasing need. The
    chart below demonstrates the program growth and funding need.
        Additional HPF programs administered by the National Park Service:
    NATHPO appreciates the strong HPF funding levels the Committee has
    provided in recent years. We support the request of the National Trust
    for Historic Preservation that Congress provide a total fiscal year
    2020 HPF appropriation of $148.5 million. Within that funding we
    recommend:

      --$60 million for State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs);
      --$20 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs);
      --$5 million for a competitive grant program for SHPOs and THPOs to
            conduct mapping and digitization of historic resources--which
            would enable their identification at the very earliest stages
            of project planning, leading to both protection of historic
            sites and increased efficiency of infrastructure projects
            (minimizing controversy, legal challenges, and delays);
      --$30 million for grants to preserve the sites and stories of
            underrepresented communities;
      --$10 million for grants to Historically Black Colleges and
            Universities;
      --$15 million for Save America's Treasures grants;
      --$7.5 million for preservation grants to revitalize significant
            historic properties;
      --$1 million for competitive grants for the survey and nomination of
            properties associated with communities currently
            underrepresented on the National Register of Historic Places
            and National Historic Landmarks.

     HPF Tribal appropriation has steadily increased, as has the number of
                                     THPOs.

      Therefore the average apportionment per THPO has remained the same.

               2. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, NATIONAL NAGPRA PROGRAM

        The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)
    provides for the disposition of Native American cultural items \1\
    removed from Federal or Tribal lands, or in the possession or control
    of museums or Federal agencies, to lineal descendants, Indian Tribes,
    or Native Hawaiian organizations based on descent or cultural or
    geographic affiliation. NAGPRA prohibits trafficking of Native American
    cultural items and created a grants program exclusively for Indian
    Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and public museums.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Cultural items include human remains, funerary objects, sacred
    objects, and objects of cultural patrimony.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    NAGPRA Grants Program:
        a.  $2.331 million to be used exclusively for NAGPRA Grants to
    Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and museums. We recommend
    that the Committee restore the amount that the NAGPRA grants program
    received each year for most of its history prior to when the NPS began
    to divert a greater amount of funds for administrative use within the
    cultural resource division. NAGPRA grants have been ``level-funded'' at
    $1.65 million. NATHPO requests that the Congress restore the grants to
    the $2.331 million funding level.
    Administration of National NAGPRA Program:
        b.  $1 million, additionally, for NAGPRA program administration,
    including the publication of Federal Register notices, grant
    administration, civil penalty investigations, and Review Committee
    costs.

        3. BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS--CREATE LINE ITEMS AND SUPPORT THE
                              FOLLOWING DIVISIONS

        The BIA has federally mandated responsibilities to work with Indian
    Tribes and comply with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA),
    the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and NAGPRA. Currently the
    BIA does not have any budget line items that are devoted to complying
    with these Federal laws, nor does the BIA have resources dedicated to
    compliance with the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) and
    executive orders and directives in the cultural resource field. Funds
    are not only needed for the BIA to comply with their internal
    development efforts, such as roads and forestry, but also to conduct
    project reviews of outside development projects, such as oil and gas
    development that are estimated to number over 7,000 per year. ARPA
    crime on Indian reservations continues to be a major problem, as
    looters and traffickers continue to steal valuable cultural resources
    from Tribal and Federal lands. The BIA does not have any special agents
    or law enforcement forces to combat this uniquely destructive crime in
    Indian country and we urge the creation of a dedicated line item within
    the BIA.
    NATHPO recommends the BIA create line items and support the following
            divisions:
        a.  To support Cultural Resource compliance at the 12 Regional BIA
    Offices ($250,000 x 12 regional offices = $3 million)
        b.  Central Office cultural resource efforts throughout the bureau
    ($200,000)
        c.  NAGPRA compliance work ($765,000)
        d.  To fight ARPA crimes on Indian reservations ($200,000)

    4. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN AND
                     THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

                             REPATRIATION PROGRAMS

        NATHPO requests that the Smithsonian Institution receive $1.25
    million for its repatriation activities, including operation costs of
    the Review Committee and repatriation office.
        Thank you for considering our testimony. I would be pleased to
    answer any questions you may have.

        [This statement was submitted by Valerie J. Grussing, Executive
    Director.]
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of National Center for American Indian Enterprise
                                  Development
        Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall and Members of the
    subcommittee, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise
    Development (NCAIED) presents this testimony to urge approval of fiscal
    year 2020 funding above the fiscal year 2019 enacted levels for the
    Indian Loan Guarantee Program and the budget for the Economic
    Development Division of the Office of Indian Energy and Economic
    Development (OIEED) within the Department of the Interior (DOI).
    1. Indian Loan Guarantee Program:
        The essential Indian Loan Guarantee Program has long been supported
    by NCAIED and other leading national organizations representing Indian
    Tribes, Alaska Native corporations, and enterprises owned by them or
    their community members. Testimony and letters to the House and Senate
    Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related
    Agencies called for doubling the funds for the Indian Loan Guarantee
    Program in fiscal year 2019, so we were gratified when your House
    counterparts recommended, and the full House approved, $19,279,000 for
    this program ``to remain available through September 30, 2020'' with
    $1,702,000 for administrative expenses and a most welcome volume cap of
    $329,260,000 in private loans that could be subject to guarantee. Your
    subcommittee recommended slightly more than level funding, and the
    conference agreement approved in the fiscal year 2019 minibus was
    $10,779,000 (up $3 million, but not the $10 million plus up the House
    approved).
        On March 27, 2019, the NCAIED's annual Reservation Economic Summit
    (RES2019) hosted the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs' Listen Session
    on Federal Loan Guarantee Programs. When Committee staff asked whether
    the Indian Loan Guarantee Program should be eliminated in favor of
    other loan guarantee programs (as the fiscal year 2020 Budget Request
    proposes), not one person raised a hand of the 100+ session
    participants. Every lender and Indian borrower at the Listening Session
    agreed that this valuable program is the only one designed to
    facilitate access to private loans for Tribal and Tribal member
    projects on trust lands or other rural native communities generally
    ignored by most private lenders. So, once again, NCAIED and other
    leading national Tribal organizations respectfully request that the
    subcommittee approve an increase--preferably up to $25 million or at
    least double the fiscal year 2019 enacted level--for the Indian Loan
    Guarantee Program with bill language to enable the funds ``to remain
    available through September 30, 2021.''
        Under this Program, administered by OIEED's Division of Capital
    Investment (DCI), private lenders certified by DCI make conventional
    loans to eligible Tribal and individual Native borrowers for businesses
    and economic development projects. To qualify for the guarantee, the
    loan must have an economic impact on a native community or Bureau of
    Indian Affairs service area. DCI-certified lenders (including numerous
    Tribal-owned banks) understand that Tribal law may apply, including
    Tribal court jurisdiction, and are familiar with collateral
    restrictions when lending to borrowers on Tribal lands. DCI allows its
    certified lenders to use their own forms and underwriting standards,
    including longer loan terms to enable borrowers to meet debt repayment
    schedules. Lenders and borrowers prefer DCI's more flexible, simpler
    process that facilitates financing of profit or nonprofit businesses,
    large or small loans, business startups or expansions, construction,
    refinancing, and lines of credit. On average, DCI issues about 30 loan
    guarantees and loan insurance certificates annually, but could issue
    more with (1) increased credit subsidy, (2) some insulation from
    funding interruptions (due to repeated Continuing Resolutions and
    partial government shutdown), and (3) leeway to hire one or more
    permanent staff.
        While the President's budget seems to favor the larger Small
    Business Administration (SBA) loan guarantee program, the SBA program
    is far less suited to Indian Country lending. The SBA imposes more
    rigid underwriting criteria and collateral requirements, its guarantee
    amount is smaller, loan closings take longer, most SBA staff and SBA
    lenders are unfamiliar with Indian borrowers, Tribes and non-profits
    are not eligible, Tribal enterprise borrowers must waive sovereign
    immunity, Tribal member borrowers on trust lands also may have to
    obtain a sovereign immunity waiver, and disputes must be resolved in
    Federal court.
        Indian Country needs the Indian Loan Guarantee Program, and support
    for it is fully justified based on its successful track record, a low
    loss rate, and an impressive return of about $17 in private financing
    for every $1 of Federal funds invested. For some examples, see https://
    bia.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/IEED/DCI/SuccessStories/index.htm and below:
        Alaska: At least 6 successful projects in Alaska have been
    privately financed with DCI's loan guarantees. Several projects spurred
    economic development in Hoonah, AK, with three guaranteed loans
    totalling over $38 million. The first two loans, from Northrim Bank and
    Alaska Pacific Bank, helped to purchase, renovate and transform a old
    salmon cannery into a tourism attraction with restaurant, gift and
    retail facilities (employing 63 during construction, and 35
    permanently), and later develop deep water cruise ship pier facilities
    in 2015. A third guaranteed loan financed an Alaska Native-owned
    touring company that offers scenic tours to cruise ship visitors. In
    2009, Wells Fargo provided $800,000 in tax exempt financing, guaranteed
    by DCI, to enable Cook Inlet Tribal Council to construct a social
    service center and bus barn. The Seldovia Native Association financed a
    hotel's construction with an $8.3 million loan from Wells Fargo with a
    DCI guarantee. DCI also has guaranteed several loans to help Alaska
    Native entrepreneurs launch their businesses, including ArXotical
    (triplet sisters' indigenous beauty products company), and Bayview
    General Merchandise (a general store built and run by a Toksook Bay
    shareholder).
        New Mexico: Since 1987, the DCI program has guaranteed several
    loans totaling over $15 million to enable the Indian Pueblo Cultural
    Center in Albuquerque to expand its cultural center and retail
    development (e.g., Starbucks, restaurant, a self-storage business),
    increasing annual revenue from under $1 million to over $30 million
    (employing almost 200 people, 44 percent Native American). In another
    successful project, the Picuris Pueblo constructed the now popular
    Hotel Santa Fe with financing, DCI-guaranteed, of $11.1 million from
    Palm Desert National Bank. In addition to its distinction as the only
    Tribal-owned hotel in Santa Fe, the successful enterprise is a large
    employer and features art, architecture, music and language of the
    Pueblo people.
        Navajo Nation Tribal Utility Authority: Navajo Tribal Utility
    Authority (NTUA) secured a $23.5 million loan with a DCI guarantee to
    acquire a greater ownership interest in NTUA Wireless, LLC, the first
    Tribal wireless/Internet enterprise, and to meet underserved and
    unserved communications needs within Navajo Nation. Employing more than
    80 fulltime (45 within NTUA Wireless and 35 within NTUA), NTUA services
    now include communications, electricity, natural gas, water,
    wastewater, and photovoltaic power (solar).
        Nevada: To finance the design and construction of the Northern
    Nevada Transitional Housing Center for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony
    (RSIC) and State of Nevada, the Tribe worked with the State, U.S. Bank,
    and DCI on an $8 million loan. With the DCI guarantee, U.S. Bank agreed
    to extend the loan for 20 years so that the Tribe could afford the debt
    service payments. The project expanded essential services to the Tribal
    community, and has contributed to the economic growth of the greater
    Reno-Sparks area.
        Other Southwest Projects: About $32 million in loan guarantees have
    supported financing for convenience store projects in various Tribal
    communities in the West and Southwest, including in California, Nevada,
    Arizona and New Mexico. Creating jobs and significant revenues for
    Tribes and individual native entrepreneurs, some of the stores operate
    in remote areas and provide their communities essential goods and
    services (e.g., gasoline, basic food items, money order and wire
    transfer services). Several of the stores complement other Tribal
    attractions, such as hotels, casinos, and artisan communities.
        Wisconsin: Over 2018-2019, the Oneida Tribe secured $37 million in
    combined financing from four banks (three Tribal-owned), with a DCI
    loan guarantee, to refurbish and remodel two hotels and refinance old
    higher interest rate debt. The Tribal banks are Mille Lacs-owned
    Woodlands Bank, Oneida-owned Bay Bank, and Native American Bank (owned
    by over 30 Tribes and Alaska Native corporations).
        Washington: The program guaranteed a $130,000 loan to enable a
    Quinault Indian Nation Tribal member to purchase a fishing vessel, the
    Pacific Rooster, and employ other Tribal members in exercising their
    Tribal treaty fishing rights, catching fish and delivering their catch
    to Quinault Pride Seafood.
        In 2006, Congress increased this program's authorization for the
    aggregate of loans subject to program guarantees or insurance to grow
    from $500 million to $1.5 billion. So far, that higher lending level
    has not been attained because far too little is appropriated annually
    for the program's credit subsidy, keeping the volume cap on loans
    subject to guarantee far too low--despite ever-increasing demands for
    financing in Indian Country.
        The National Center, the National Congress of American Indians
    (NCAI), Native American Finance Officers Association and others
    organizations in Indian Country have urged Congress repeatedly to
    double the funding for the Indian Loan Guarantee Program. NCAI calls
    for $25 million for the program in its fiscal year 2020 Indian Country
    Budget Request (see p. 91). More funding would enable DCI-certified
    lenders to finance more projects (and attract more banks to participate
    in the program) to support financing for business expansions, Tribal
    development projects, lines of credit for working capital and payrolls
    for more employees, and even infrastructure and small energy
    development projects. Given the substantial return on the modest
    Federal investment, Congress should increase the program's funding
    beyond the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and allow it some more staff
    and a higher volume cap for guaranteed loans.
    2. Economic Development Division within OIEED:
        For fiscal year 2019 funding for DOI's Community and Economic
    Development account, the House approved $51.5 million, but the Senate
    approved only $46.5 million. Fortunately, the fiscal year 2019 enacted
    level of $47.5 million included, according to the conference report, an
    increase for OIEED of $1 million: ``to provide assistance to Tribes to
    enhance economic development and improve access to private financing of
    development projects . . . assist with feasibility studies and provide
    technical assistance to Tribes to establish commercial codes, courts
    and other business structures . . . build Tribal capacity to lease
    Tribal lands and manage economic and energy resource development . . .
    [and] foster incubators of Tribal-owned and other Native American-owned
    businesses.'' H. Rept. 116-9, p. 729. For fiscal year 2020, NCAIED and
    other leading national Tribal organizations urge Congress to add to
    last year's increase to provide at least $3 million with report
    language directing that the increase ``be dedicated to OIEED's Economic
    Development programs to support: more feasibility studies of
    development projects; greater access to private financing for such
    projects; technical assistance on Tribal legal and business structures
    to enhance economic development, and building capacity for leasing
    Tribal lands and managing economic and energy resource development; and
    incubators of Tribal-owned and other Native American-owned businesses''
    (as proposed in S. 294). Support for the OIEED increase is reflected in
    NCAI's fiscal year 2020 Indian Country Budget Request on page 92.
        In sum, the National Center urges the subcommittee to approve
    upwards of $25 million for the Indian Loan Guarantee Program and
    increase OIEED's budget by $5 million, with $3 million for its Economic
    Development to leverage substantial private sector financing and other
    initiatives to advance economic development in Indian Country.

    Chris James, President & CEO
    National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the National Conference of State Historic
                             Preservation Officers
        Fiscal Year 2020 State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Historic
    Preservation Fund (HPF) Apportionment Total Request:

      --$60 million for State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs)
      --$20 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs)
      --$30 million for competitive grant programs related to the Civil
            Rights Movement
      --$10 million Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
      --$7.5 million for grants to preserve historic resources in rural
            communities
      --$7.5 million for Save America's Treasures grant program.

        Funded through withdrawals from the Historic Preservation Fund (16
    USC 470h) U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service.
    Unique and Successful Federal-State Partnership
        Recognizing the importance of our national heritage, in 1966
    Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA16 USC
    470), which established historic preservation as a priority of the
    Federal Government. Recognizing that State officials have local
    expertise, the Act's authors directed Federal entities charged with its
    implementation--the Department of the Interior and the Advisory Council
    on Historic Preservation--to partner with the States. Duties delegated
    to the SHPOs include: (1) locating and recording historic resources;
    (2) nominating significant historic resources to the National Register
    of Historic Places; (3) cultivating historic preservation programs at
    the local government level; (4) providing funds for preservation
    activities; (5) commenting on Federal rehabilitation tax credit
    projects; (6) review of all Federal projects for their impact on
    historic properties; and (7) providing technical assistance to Federal
    agencies, State and local governments and the private sector.
        To assist the States in accomplishing this federally-delegated
    work, in 1976, Congress established the HPF. The HPF is funded from
    outer-continental shelf lease revenues--not tax dollars, so that the
    depletion of one non-renewal resource can be used to help preserve
    another non-renewable resource--our heritage. And the States also
    contribute toward this effort, matching at least 40 percent of the HPF
    funding they receive.
    Finding and Saving America's Heritage
        The first step in preserving and protecting America's heritage is
    identifying it--which requires survey, documentation and stewardship
    and sharing of digital historic site data. These sites represent the
    many people, places, and events that have shaped our national identity.
    Adequate funding is essential for SHPOs to conduct historic resource
    identification, documentation and digitization activities. Having
    accurate, up-to-date, digitally accessible information on our Nation's
    historic resources would dramatically increase the efficiency and
    effectiveness of all local, State, and Federal projects. From deciding
    on the design of local in-fill development, to State transportation
    planning projects, to Federal large-scale energy projects and disaster
    recovery efforts--every single project, and the American people would
    benefit from enhanced and accessible historic resource databases.
        Once identified and documented, America's historic resources are
    primarily recognized at the local, State, and national levels by
    listing on National and State Historic Registers. State Historic
    Preservation Officers, through the authority of the National Historic
    Preservation Act assist, support and encourage communities with their
    efforts. National Register recognition by the Secretary of the Interior
    confirms citizens' belief in the significance of their communities.
        The National Historic Preservation program is primarily one of
    assistance, not acquisition. The Federal Government does not own,
    manage, or maintain responsibility for the vast majority of the
    historic assets in the National Historic Preservation program. Instead,
    the program, through the SHPOs, provides individuals, communities, and
    local, State, and Federal Governments with the tools they need to
    identify, preserve, and utilize the historic assets of importance to
    them.
        In addition to the SHPO funding, the NCSHPO supports robust funding
    for the Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPO). THPOs assume the
    Federal compliance role of the SHPO on their respective Tribal lands.
    The number of THPOs continues to increase annually. Funding increases
    are necessary to prevent a decrease in the average THPO grant.
        NCSHPO also supports $7.5 million for the Historic Revitalization
    Subgrant Program to preserve historic resources in rural communities,
    $7.5 million for the Save America's Treasure's grant program, $30
    million for competitive grants to preserve the sites and stories
    related to the Civil Rights movement, and $10 million for a similar
    program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
    Jobs, Economic Development & Community Revitalization
        Historic preservation has stimulated economic growth, promoted
    community education and pride, and rescued and rehabilitated
    significant historic resources in communities throughout the country.
    In many cases, historic preservation combats the effects of blight and
    vacancy by using the historic built environment as a catalyst for
    community change. These changes result in historic downtown districts
    and neighborhoods that are dynamic destinations for visitors and
    residents alike.
        The Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HTC) program, administered
    by the State Historic Preservation Offices in cooperation with the
    National Park Service, is an important driver for economic development.
    Since inception, the HTC has rehabilitated more than 43,000 buildings,
    created more than 2.5 million jobs and leveraged $144 billion in
    private investment nationwide. On average, the HTC leverages $5 dollars
    in private investment for every $1 dollar in Federal funding creating
    highly effective public-private partnerships. In many States, including
    my own State of Texas, the HTC has been expanded through adoption of
    State tax credit programs that complement the HTC. By way of example,
    in the four-year period between 2012 and 2015, 21 Federal tax credit
    projects were completed in Texas. In the subsequent three-year period
    (since our State tax credit went into effect in 2015), 53 Federal tax
    credit projects have been completed, more than doubling our previous
    activity, and including private investment that exceeds $1 billion per
    year. This would not be possible without a robust Federal program.
        Historic preservation also stimulates economic development through
    heritage tourism. Cultural and heritage travelers spend an average of
    $994 per trip and contribute more than $192 billion annually to the
    U.S. economy.\1\ SHPOs are essential, ground level partners in
    identifying and interpreting the historic places that attract these
    visitors. A modest increase in SHPO funding would allow SHPOs to expand
    their public outreach and assistance efforts, enabling communities to
    take greater advantage of heritage tourism opportunities which lead to
    job creation, new business development and enhanced community pride.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ U.S. Cultural and Heritage Tourism Study (October 2009)
    conducted by Mandala Research, LLC for U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism
    Marketing Council, U.S. Department of Commerce, and Gozaic/Heritage
    Travel Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic
    Preservation.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    State Historic Preservation Offices' Accomplishments
        Although it has been authorized at $150 million, appropriation
    levels have never approached that amount. Even with chronic
    underfunding, through the end of 2018, the HPF has facilitated more
    than 1.8 million listings in the National Register, the survey of
    millions of acres for cultural resources, and administers the Historic
    Tax Credit, which has generated more than $32.4 billion in Federal tax
    revenue from historic rehabilitation projects.
    Conclusion
        On behalf of all 59 SHPOs, I'd like to thank you, Chairwoman
    Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and members of the U.S. Senate
    Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and
    Related Agencies for the opportunity to submit testimony.
        Historic preservation recognizes that what was common and ordinary
    in the past is often rare and precious today, and what is common and
    ordinary today may be extraordinary--50, 100 or 500 years from now. I
    would like to thank the committee for their commitment to historic
    preservation. The Federal Government plays an invaluable role in
    preserving our Nation's history and our collective sense of place.
    Through our partnership, SHPOs remain committed to working together to
    identify, protect, and maintain our Nation's heritage.

        [This statement was submitted by Mark S. Wolfe, President of the
    National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, and
    Executive Director of the Texas Historical Commission.]
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the National Congress of American Indians
        On behalf of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI),
    thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony regarding
    fiscal year 2020 Interior-Environment appropriations. Founded in 1944,
    NCAI is the oldest and largest representative organization serving the
    broad interests of Tribal governments and communities. For 75 years
    NCAI has advocated for Tribal governments and communities, NCAI has
    fought to preserve the treaty and sovereign rights of Tribal nations,
    advance the government-to-government relationship, and remove historic
    structural impediments to Tribal self-determination.
        NCAI's following requests are rooted in the treaties and agreements
    that our ancestors made with the U.S. Government. When Tribal nations
    ceded millions of acres of land to the U.S., the Federal Government
    promised to safeguard our right to govern ourselves, to enable Tribal
    governments to deliver essential services, and provide them adequate
    resources to do so effectively. However, a recent assessment from the
    U.S. Civil Rights Commission has found that ``Federal funding for
    Native American programs across the government remains grossly
    inadequate to meet the most basic needs the Federal Government is
    obligated to provide.'' \i\ Tribal leaders and citizens have known this
    for decades, and we urge Congress to fully fund the U.S. Government's
    treaty and statutory obligations.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \i\ U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. (2018). Broken Promises:
    Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The update also found that in the past 15 years, efforts undertaken
    by the Federal Government have resulted in minor improvements and in
    some ways have lost ground. While Congress has dealt with a spending
    environment hampered by an austerity fiscal policy, including
    sequestration and tight limits on discretionary accounts, the Federal
    trust and treaty obligations were no less imperative. The fact that
    these solemn agreements that are funded in the Federal budget have been
    subject to political impasses, including a recent 35-day government
    shutdown, highlights the need for solutions to protect vital Tribal
    governmental services from interruptions.
        The Indian Health Service (IHS) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
    provide core governmental services for Tribal nations, including
    hospitals, schools, law enforcement, child welfare programs, social
    services, and more. For many Tribal nations, most Tribal governmental
    services are funded by Federal sources as part of the treaty and trust
    responsibility. This is particularly important because Tribal nations
    lack the tax base and parity in tax authority under Federal law to
    raise governmental revenue to deliver services.
        Federal funding remains critical to ensure essential government
    services are delivered to Tribal citizens. In addition to the
    appropriations requests below, NCAI urges Congress to fund IHS and BIA
    through advance appropriations to protect Tribal governments and
    citizens from future shutdowns as well as cash flow problems that
    regularly occur at the start of the fiscal year.
                            bureau of indian affairs
        Along with the IHS, the BIA is one of the primary agencies
    responsible for providing services throughout Indian Country, either
    directly or through compacts or contracts with Tribal governments. As
    part of the fiscal year 2020 budget formulation process, Tribes from
    each BIA region completed a survey to outline which ten budget lines
    they would prefer to provide increased funding to and why. The
    formulation process provides a window into which program areas Tribes
    would prefer to see increases designated. The results of this process
    show that BIA Social Services, Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Tribal
    Courts, Aid to Tribal Government, Scholarships and Adult Education,
    Criminal Investigations/Policing, Road Maintenance, Housing, Johnson
    O'Malley, Detentions and Corrections, and Welfare Assistance made up
    the top 11.
        For Public Safety and Justice Programs, one of the most fundamental
    aspects of the Federal Government's trust responsibility is the
    obligation to protect public safety on Tribal lands. Congress and the
    United States Supreme Court have long acknowledged this obligation,
    which Congress most recently reaffirmed in the Tribal Law and Order Act
    expressly ``acknowledging the Federal nexus and distinct Federal
    responsibility to address and prevent crime in Indian Country.'' In
    2018 the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found that there continues to
    be ``systematic underfunding of Tribal law enforcement and criminal
    justice systems, as well as structural barriers in the funding and
    operation of criminal justice systems in Indian Country'' that
    undermine public safety.\ii\ Recent experience demonstrates that
    addressing the lack of justice funding can make rapid and dramatic
    strides toward improving public safety.\iii\ Tribal justice systems
    simply need the resources to put their tools to work so they can
    protect women, children and families, address substance abuse,
    rehabilitate first-time offenders, and put serious criminals behind
    bars.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \ii\ U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. (2018). Broken Promises:
    Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans (p. 32).
    Received from https://www.usccr.gov/pubs/2018/12-20-
    Broken-Promises.pdf.
        \iii\ Michael S. Black, Acting Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs,
    U.S. Department of the Interior, Testimony, Briefing Transcript, p.
    136; see also Dep't of the Interior, press release, March 4, 2014,
    https://www.bia.gov/sites/bia.gov/files/assets/public/press_release/
    pdf/idc1-025752.pdf (announcing Tiwahe Initiative to promote the
    stability and security of Native American families).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The underfunding of Tribal law enforcement and justice systems is
    well-documented. Most recently, the BIA submitted a report to Congress
    in 2017 estimating that to provide a minimum base level of service to
    all federally-recognized Tribes: $1 billion is needed for Tribal law
    enforcement, $1 billion is needed for Tribal courts, and $222.8 million
    is needed to adequately fund existing detention centers.\iv\ Based on
    recent appropriation levels, BIA is generally funding Tribal law
    enforcement at about 22 percent of estimated need, Tribal detention at
    about 41 percent of estimated need, and Tribal courts at a dismal 4.5
    percent of estimated need.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \iv\ Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services. ``Report
    to Congress on Spending, Staffing, and Estimated Funding Costs for
    Public Safety and Justice Programs in Indian Country,'' Aug, 16, 2016,
    available at https://www.bia.gov/cs/groups/xojs/documents/document/
    idc2-051817.pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        NCAI recommends an increase in base funding for Tribal courts, for
    a total of $83 million, which would include courts in Public Law 280
    jurisdictions. NCAI also recommends an increase to BIA Law Enforcement
    of $200 million, for a total of $573 million.
        BIA Social Services help to address the underlying conditions such
    as drug addiction, poverty, and violence that tend to create and
    perpetuate the circumstances that produce victims. Sub-activities
    include services in the areas of family and domestic violence, child
    abuse and neglect, and protective services. However, many Tribes'
    Social Services departments are understaffed and experience high
    turnover rates. As an example, in fiscal year 2017, Osage Nation case
    workers averaged 25-30 cases a month each. This exceeds the standard of
    one case worker for every 15 cases administered. A lack of increased
    yearly funding tends to hinder these protective services. NCAI
    recommends $55 million for BIA Social Services in fiscal year 2020.
        In addition to public safety and human services, infrastructure
    remains an area of high need. A transportation program that is vital to
    infrastructure in Indian Country is the BIA Road Maintenance Program,
    which is funded and authorized under the Department of the Interior.
    The BIA Road Maintenance Program is critical to BIA owned roads and
    facilities. Currently, BIA is responsible for maintaining approximately
    29,400 miles of roads in Indian Country including 900 bridges. The
    condition of these roads is increasingly concerning for Tribal citizens
    and all surrounding communities. The lack of sufficient transportation
    infrastructure also hampers economic development opportunities for
    Tribal nations and their citizens.
        According to a recent GAO Report published in May 2017, Better Data
    Could Improve Road Management and Inform Indian Student Attendance
    Strategies,\v\ BIA did not provide adequate documents on road
    maintenance and no process exists for Tribal nations to properly report
    on road maintenance. The BIA conducted a road maintenance survey, which
    found that the cost of road maintenance more than doubled the allocated
    amount of funding for proper maintenance in fiscal year 2018 and that
    deferred maintenance had risen to $392 million for BIA roads. Further
    data on road maintenance is needed to adequately address the deferred
    maintenance of roads throughout Indian Country. Increased funding for
    the BIA Road Maintenance program is needed in order to begin to address
    public safety and commercial activity concerns that affect all
    Americans. $50 million is requested to begin to address the deferred
    roads maintenance need in Indian Country.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \v\ U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2017, Publication
    No.GAO-17-423
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Overall, BIA provides funding for many public safety, education,
    human services, and natural resource programs that cannot be addressed
    fully in this testimony. NCAI supports the testimony of other national
    Tribal organizations, such as the National Indian Child Welfare
    Association, National Indian Education Association, American Indian
    Higher Education Consortium, and others who have also developed
    rigorous requests to address the treaty and trust obligations funded in
    the Interior-Environment spending bill.
                             indian health service
        The Federal responsibility for healthcare is also rooted in the
    treaty and trust promises. Yet, the Federal Government has never fully
    lived up to this responsibility. Appropriations for the IHS have never
    been adequate to meet basic patient needs, and healthcare is delivered
    in mostly third world conditions. The Indian healthcare delivery system
    faces significant funding disparities, notably in per capita spending
    between the IHS and other Federal healthcare programs. The IHS has been
    and continues to be a critical institution in securing the health and
    wellness of Tribal communities. In fiscal year 2017, the IHS per capita
    expenditures for patient health services were just $3,332, compared to
    $9,207 per person for healthcare spending nationally. New healthcare
    insurance opportunities and expanded Medicaid in some States may expand
    healthcare resources available to AI/ANs.
        NCAI recommends the amount requested by the IHS Tribal Budget
    Formulation Workgroup for fiscal year 2020, a total of $7.03 billion
    for the Indian Health Service in fiscal year 2020. This amount would
    include an increase to maintain current services and other binding
    obligations and allow for program expansions, as listed in the
    Workgroup's fiscal year 2020 report.
                        environmental protection agency
        NCAI requests funding for the Tribal General Assistance Program at
    $99.5 million. Program capacity-building is a top environmental
    priority identified by Tribes as part of the EPA National Tribal
    Operations Committee National Tribal Caucus. The Indian General
    Assistance Program (IGAP) is unique among Federal programs in that it
    provides a foundation which Tribes can leverage to support other
    greatly-needed programs, such as planning for climate change and
    natural resource management, energy efficiency activities, and small
    scale renewable energy projects. GAP funding is particularly critical
    to Alaska Native villages, where it provides 99 percent of the overall
    funding to address their fundamental and often dire needs, such as safe
    drinking water and basic sanitation facilities, and the on-the-ground
    presence to help confront profound climate change impacts, such as
    eroding shorelines, thawing permafrost, threats to subsistence
    resources, and permanent relocation of Alaska Native communities.
        This increased collaborative leveraging potential makes GAP a wise
    investment of Federal dollars. However, GAP funding has not kept pace
    with the growth of Tribal environmental programs over the years,
    forcing Tribes to perform the increased duties of maturing programs
    with fewer funds. Furthermore, the average cost for Tribes to sustain a
    basic environmental program was set at $110,000 per Tribe in 1999 and
    has not been adjusted for inflation since then. Tribal demand for
    program implementation across various media includes the pressing need
    to establish climate change adaptation plans. A $175,000 per Tribe
    distribution, totaling approximately $99.5 million, reflects an
    equitable adjustment.
                                   conclusion
        We look forward to working with this subcommittee on a nonpartisan
    basis to protect the Federal trust and treaty obligations in the
    budget. Thank you for your consideration of this testimony.
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the National Council of Urban Indian Health
        My name is Maureen Rosette and I am the President of the National
    Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH), which represents the 42 urban
    Indian healthcare organizations (UIOs) across the Nation who provide
    high-quality, culturally-competent care to urban Indians, constituting
    approximately 78 percent of all American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/
    AN). I would like to thank Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member
    Udall for the opportunity to submit written testimony. Today's
    testimony will focus on the needs of urban Indian organizations (UIOs)
    that have title V contracts with the Indian Health Service (IHS).
        As a preliminary issue, ``urban Indian'' refers to any AI/AN person
    who is not living on a reservation, either permanently or temporarily--
    often because of the Federal Government's forced relocation policy or
    in search of economic or educational opportunity. Congress has long
    recognized that the Federal Government's obligation to provide
    healthcare for AI/AN people follows them off of reservations. UIOs are
    an integral part of the Indian health system, which is comprised of the
    IHS, federally recognized Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban
    Indian organizations (I/T/Us). Currently, UIOs receive less than 1
    percent of the IHS budget, and the IHS budget is currently underfunded
    at less than 50 percent of need creating serious budget constraints.
    UIOs do not have access to many of the critical cost saving programs
    available to the other facets of the I/T/U system.
        Listed are NCUIH's recommendations to the Senate Subcommittee on
    Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on Fiscal Year 2020
    Appropriations:
    Include Urban Indian Organizations in Language for ALL Health Programs
        When Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) are not specifically
    mentioned in programmatic language they are most often excluded from
    participating in such programs. Many programs in the Health and Human
    Services appropriations bills include language for Indian Tribes and
    Tribal organizations, but not for urban Indian organizations. Urban
    Indian Organizations are not considered Tribal organizations, which is
    a common misconception. Therefore, UIOs must be explicitly included to
    receive funding. Behavioral health grants, suicide prevention grants,
    and others. It is imperative UIOs receive parity for funding as UIOs
    rely on less than 1 percent of the Indian Health Service (IHS) funds,
    despite urban Indians being over 78 percent of the AI/AN population.
    UIOs also do not have access to other IHS line items like IHS and
    Tribal facilities. UIOs do not receive hospitals and health clinics
    money, purchase and referred care dollars, or IHS dental services
    dollars, and are not eligible for facilities dollars. UIOs operate from
    one line item in the IHS budget, the urban Indian line item, which
    provides 42 programs with $51.3 million. We know IHS is underfunded at
    around $3,000 per patient, we know for urban Indian health patients
    that number is less than $400 per patient. NCUIH requests an increase
    to the urban Indian health line item to at least $81 million to $116
    million, which would be a mere 2 percent of the IHS budget. The House
    Appropriations Committee has released a draft fiscal year 2020
    Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill that includes
    an almost $30 million increase to the urban Indian line item, bringing
    funding to $81 million--once passed, this would create a more equitable
    funding level for all AI/ANs.
    Provide Protections from Shutdown Impacts with Funding Uncertainties
        When limited UIO funding is delayed or cut off during events such
    as a government shutdown, UIOs suffer greatly. AI/AN people healthcare
    should not be held hostage by unrelated government shutdowns. NCUIH
    strongly recommends that UIO funding have the same protections and
    considerations as other Federal funding during times of sequestration
    and government shutdowns. For instance, Native American Lifelines of
    Baltimore is a small clinic that received three overdose patients
    during the last shutdown, two of which were fatal. They only receive
    $922k from IHS to operate two facilities, one in Baltimore, one in
    Boston. IHS only gives them $691 for mental health services for both
    facilities. The Indian Health Service system (I/T/U) should be provided
    with funding to ensure our patients don't suffer.
    Provide UIOs With 100 Percent Federal Medical Assistance Percentage
            (FMAP)
        The amount of Medicaid service costs paid by the Federal Government
    is set by law at 100 percent for IHS and Tribes, but not for UIOs,
    because UIOs did not exist when that law was written. Although Congress
    intended 100 percent FMAP to support the Indian Health system, the
    Federal Government only pays 100 percent of the costs incurred by
    States to reimburse IHS and Tribal facilities for Medicaid services
    provided to an AI/AN, without the same consideration for the high-
    quality, culturally-competent care provided by UIOs. Created by
    Congress at the urging of Tribes to ensure that their Tribal citizens
    would receive appropriate healthcare off of reservations, UIOs are an
    integral part of the IHS system. Consequently, the failure to provide
    UIOs with 100 percent FMAP harms facilities that already do not have
    access to many resources, and it severely limits services for patients.
    Unfortunately, CMS needs Congress to add UIOs to 1905(b) of the Social
    Security Act to create parity. Therefore, we ask that you correct this
    problem in fiscal year 2020. Receiving 100 percent FMAP has a huge
    impact on the financial stability of UIOs. One of NCUIH's two Oklahoma
    facilities (the only two UIOs in the country that get 100 percent FMAP)
    reported that in the event of a prolonged shutdown they could remain
    open for 18 months; whereas 6 of 13 UIO-respondents reported that they
    could only sustain normal operations for 1 month or less.
    Include UIOs in the Coverage of the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA)
        Under FTCA, a facility's employees and eligible contractors are
    considered Federal employees and are immune from lawsuits for medical
    malpractice. IHS and Tribal providers, as well as other comparable
    Federal healthcare centers, are covered by the FTCA. Arbitrarily denied
    FTCA coverage, however, UIOs must buy their own expensive malpractice
    insurance. Two large, highly-regarded UIOs in Oklahoma each pay
    $250,000 per year for malpractice insurance. Any help your subcommittee
    can provide would maximize the value of your appropriations to IHS and
    we would profoundly appreciate any assistance, including prompting
    relevant committees.
    Implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Between IHS and the VA
            for the Provision of Health Care to AI/AN Veterans
        The VA and IHS have implemented this MoU for IHS and Tribal
    providers, but not for UIOs. AI/AN veterans often prefer to use Indian
    healthcare providers for reasons related to performance, cultural
    competency, or availability of non-healthcare-related but Indian-
    specific services. The VA sometimes experiences surges in demand, which
    can often be satisfactorily offset through the use of UIOs. A recent
    Office of the Inspector General report found that 215 deceased veteran
    patients at the Phoenix VA Health Care System were awaiting specialist
    consultations on the date of their deaths. Native Health, a UIO that
    provides comprehensive services, is within walking distance of the
    Phoenix, AZ VA facility, and could have provided these services to AI/
    AN veterans, enabling the VA to focus on specialty services and reduce
    some of these wait times, in turn reducing the number of patient deaths
    that occur. Given their sacrifices, it is grievously wrong to oppose
    the provision of accessible, high-quality, culturally-competent
    healthcare by UIOs to AI/AN veterans.
    Create Critical Funding Mechanism for Behavioral Health
        In addition, IHS is currently considering moving its behavioral
    health initiatives, including the Domestic Violence Prevention Program
    and Suicide and Substance Abuse Prevention Program, from grants to
    direct distribution through Indian Self Determination Education and
    Assistance Act (ISDEAA) contracts and compacts, for which UIHPs are not
    eligible. It is widely known that behavioral health is a major issue in
    the AI/AN community. Thus, if IHS transfers distribution of its
    behavioral health initiatives to ISDEAA contracts and compacts, there
    must be a UIO set-aside of approximately $12.2 million for Title V
    UIOs. This amount would enable all Title V UIOs to receive the current
    average level of behavioral health grant funding available to urban
    organizations, as is rightfully available only to IHS-certified Title V
    UIOs. In addition, I'd like to express appreciation for inclusion of
    UIOs in the Special Behavioral Health Program for Indians. We support
    this being structured similar to Special Diabetes Programs for Indians
    (SDPI), which has been a resounding success for many UIOs. If this
    funding is instead transferred to direct funding to Tribes, there must
    be a set-aside of at least 20 percent to ensure this funding reaches
    urban AI/AN communities. In addition, it is critical that this funding
    remain available beyond current grant terms. With current funding for
    the Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention Program, which has
    demonstrated considerable success in addressing behavioral health
    disparities and saving lives in Indian Country, expiring in 2021,
    Congress must act to ensure this success continues.
    Hold UIOs Harmless from Unrelated Cost Assessments
        UIOs are faced with chronic and severe underfunding and depend on
    every Federal dollar they receive to provide culturally-competent
    services to their urban AI/AN patients. Funds for Medical inflation and
    pay costs are necessary to cover the intended purpose; these costs
    often increase at high rates in urban areas where UIOs are located,
    thereby straining UIOs' already constrained budgets. Last year, IHS
    utilized a portion of the inflation funding increases from the fiscal
    year 2019 appropriations for a purpose distinct from inflation--to
    cover costs of Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
    (ISDEAA) Section 105(l) leases. As a result, UIOs only received a small
    portion of the amount of inflation funding designated to be dispersed
    to UIOs. The amount of 105(l) lease applications is increasing and
    UIOs' inflation funding is once again at risk. Inflation funding for
    UIOs should not be the solution to cover an unrelated budgetary
    constraint. UIOs are not eligible for, nor are they otherwise
    beneficiaries of, Section 105(l) leases and thus derive no benefit from
    this program. All UIO funds should thus not be impacted by this budget
    shortfall. A separate appropriation line item for these lease payments
    would provide a long-term fix to this issue and prevent additional harm
    from trickling down to urban AI/AN patients.
    Reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians
        The Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) is critical to
    urban American Indian and Alaska Native communities who experience a
    higher prevalence of diabetes and a greater diabetes mortality rate
    than the general U.S. population living in those areas. Since the SDPI
    program began in 1997, UIOs have seen improvements in key diabetes care
    outcome for AI/ANs at their urban facilities over a 10 year period,
    from 2001-2011. It is imperative that SDPI be reauthorized before its
    expiration in September 2019.
        We thank the committee for its efforts towards prioritizing funding
    to Indian Country and for holding this hearing. The staff at NCUIH is
    available to follow up on any future inquires related to the submitted
    testimony or other urban Indian healthcare issues of policy or service.
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
    Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall and Members of the
    subcommittee:

        Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony regarding fiscal
    year 2020 funding on behalf of the National Fish and Wildlife
    Foundation (NFWF), and thank you for your years of steadfast support
    for the natural resource conservation work of NFWF.
        NFWF's fiscal year 2020 appropriations request will be matched at
    least dollar for dollar with non-Federal match to conserve fish,
    wildlife and their habitats through local partnerships. By law, NFWF
    will accomplish this by applying 100 percent of the appropriated
    funding to on-the-ground conservation projects at ZERO administrative
    cost to the Federal Government.
        We believe that NFWF is a sound investment in a time of constrained
    budgets because of our proven track record and statutory requirement to
    leverage Federal funding with private contributions to maximize
    conservation benefit. We appreciate the subcommittee's past support and
    respectfully request your approval of funding at the following levels:

      --$ 2.0 million with bill language through the Bureau of Land
            Management's Management of Lands and Resources appropriation
            ($2 million above fiscal year 2019);
      --$ 7.022 million with bill language through the U.S. Fish and
            Wildlife Service's Resource Management appropriation (Same
            level as fiscal year 2019); and
      --$ 3.0 million with the standard annual bill language through the
            Forest Service's National Forest System appropriation (Same
            level as fiscal year 2019).
                           bureau of land management
        The fiscal year 2018 appropriation for the Bureau of Land
    Management (BLM) and NFWF partnership was made discretionary to the
    Director of the BLM. The Director chose to direct $2.0 million in
    funding to NFWF. NFWF worked closely with the BLM, other Department of
    the Interior agencies and eleven Western States to implement a program
    to improve wildlife corridors for big game and other wildlife. This
    investment by BLM allowed NFWF and ConocoPhillips to bring in more than
    $8.6 million in matching contributions, generating a total conservation
    impact of more than $10.7 million. These projects will improve wildlife
    migrations as well as reduce the number of vehicle strikes with
    wildlife enhancing human safety.
        NFWF did not receive a direct appropriation in fiscal year 2019,
    but prior to that, NFWF received directly appropriated funding from BLM
    since fiscal year 1995. In the 5-year span from fiscal year 2014-fiscal
    year 2018, NFWF leveraged $14.0 million in BLM funds into $75.2 million
    in on-the-ground conservation projects.
        In fiscal year 2018 and continuing into fiscal year 2019, NFWF
    began a new and exciting partnership in the Pecos watershed with eight
    oil and gas companies (Anadarko Petroleum Company, Chevron Corp., Noble
    Energy, Occidental Petroleum, Shell Oil Company, Apache Corp., Marathon
    Oil Corp., and XTO Energy, Inc.), the USDA Natural Resource
    Conservation Service, and the States of New Mexico and Texas to
    proactively bolster populations of at-risk species. NFWF would add a
    portion of any fiscal year 2020 appropriated BLM funding to this new
    and creative partnership.
        NFWF also utilized past BLM direct appropriations to partner with
    the Yukon River Fisheries Association and local Tribal Councils to aid
    in the delivery of Chinook salmon spawning grounds and engage Yukon
    River anglers in the voluntary conservation of Chinook salmon. Without
    the direct BLM appropriations, the ability to fund projects such as
    these will be diminished.

            Requested BLM Bill Language:

                    ``; of which $2,000,000 shall be available in fiscal
                    year 2020 subject to a match by at least an equal
                    amount by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for
                    cost shared projects supporting conservation of Bureau
                    lands; and such funds shall be advanced to the
                    Foundation as a lump-sum grant without regard to when
                    expenses are incurred.''
                    united states fish and wildlife service
        The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has been a
    trusted partner since NFWF was created by Congress in 1984 and signed
    into law by President Reagan. In the past 5 years (fiscal year 2014-
    fiscal year 2018), the FWS appropriated funds received by NFWF have
    generated $176.8 million in conservation impact through 434 projects.
    The funds appropriated to NFWF serve as a magnet to attract funds from
    the private sector to create public-private partnerships critical to
    restoring fish, wildlife and their habitats.
        In the past, the FWS appropriation for NFWF has existed in the
    report accompanying the appropriations bill. However, we respectfully
    request that it be included in bill language. This will make NFWF's
    direct appropriations in the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
    Bill consistent across all agencies in the bill and expedite the
    permitting of conservation projects.

            Requested FWS Bill Language

                    ``; of which $7,022,000 shall be available in fiscal
                    year 2020 subject to a match by at least an equal
                    amount by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for
                    cost-shared projects supporting conservation of
                    wildlife and other natural resources; and such funds
                    shall be advanced to the Foundation as a lump-sum grant
                    without regard to when expenses are incurred.''

        Because NFWF also works with FWS on discretionary cooperative
    agreements for conservation programs, we also respectfully support the
    highest possible funding levels for the Recovery Challenge matching
    grants, Delaware River Basin Conservation Act, Klamath Basin
    Restoration, and efforts to combat white-nosed syndrome in bats within
    the FWS, Resource Management appropriation.
                          united states forest service
        Congress has appropriated approximately $3 million in annual
    funding to NFWF for partnerships with the United States Forest Service
    (USFS) since fiscal year 1998. From fiscal year 2014 to fiscal year
    2018, NFWF turned $15.0 million in USFS funds into $114.2 million in
    on-the-ground conservation investments.
        In fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2018, NFWF was recognized by
    the USFS's Region 5 as the ``Partner of the Year'' for the
    collaborative work with the USFS on post-fire watershed restoration,
    community engagement and hazardous fuels reduction.
        NFWF also used direct USFS appropriations to continue the Alaska
    Native Science and Engineering Program to hire Alaska Native youth with
    traditional ecological knowledge and who also speak the languages of
    local subsistence communities to work on conservation projects, and
    allowed NFWF to launch new programs such as the Central Appalachian
    Habitat Stewardship Program which promotes forest health and management
    in the States of Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania and
    Ohio.
        As directed in the Statement accompanying the fiscal year 2019
    Omnibus Appropriation, NFWF is excited to report on the funding USFS
    has provided NFWF for each of the past 10 fiscal years, including
    specific projects and activities. We believe this report will
    illustrate the impressive power of private leverage and grantee match
    to stretch the Federal conservation dollar in tough budgetary times.
                        environmental protection agency
        NFWF has partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
    since fiscal year 1997 and since fiscal year 2000 has worked with EPA
    to make grants to States and other grantees within the Geographic
    Programs appropriation. Therefore, we respectfully support the highest
    possible funding levels for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative,
    Chesapeake Bay, and Long Island Sound within the Environmental
    Protection Agency Geographic Programs. We also respectfully ask that
    the long-standing report language that delineates the amount of funding
    for nutrient and sediment removal grants and small watershed grants
    within the Chesapeake Bay program be continued (final fiscal year 2019
    language is below).

            ``Chesapeake Bay.--The bill provides $73,000,000 for the
            Chesapeake Bay program. From within the amount provided,
            $6,000,000 is for nutrient and sediment removal grants and
            $6,000,000 is for small watershed grants to control polluted
            runoff from urban, suburban and agriculture lands.''

        In addition to the Geographic Programs, EPA continues to be a major
    partner on NFWF's Five Star Urban Waters Program. In fiscal year 2018,
    NFWF worked with volunteers and resource based organizations to remove
    and improve the habitat for Chinook salmon along the Chena River in
    Fairbanks, Alaska. NFWF also partnered with EPA, Rocky Mountain Youth
    Corps, and local volunteers to implement a riparian habitat and
    education project near Albuquerque, New Mexico.
                                nfwf background
        NFWF was established by Congress in 1984 to catalyze private
    investments to conserve fish, wildlife and their habitats. In addition,
    every dollar directly appropriated to NFWF by Congress goes to on-the-
    ground conservation projects and NFWF charges no administrative costs.
    NFWF raises private funds not only to leverage appropriated dollars,
    but also to support the associated management costs of implementing the
    appropriated funds. Since its creation by Congress in 1984, NFWF has
    invested $5.3 billion in to more than 17,500 projects while partnering
    with more than 4,500 organizations.
        NFWF is required by law to match each directly federally-
    appropriated dollar with a minimum of one non-Federal dollar. We
    consistently exceed this requirement by leveraging Federal funds at
    more than a 2:1 average ratio while building consensus and emphasizing
    accountability, measurable results, and sustainable conservation
    outcomes.
        NFWF remains fully transparent and is required by law to notify
    Congress 30 days in advance of every grant that exceeds $10,000 in
    Federal funds. Details of all projects awarded during fiscal year 2018
    can be found in NFWF's annual investment guide and all of NFWF's grants
    can be found on our website: https://www.nfwf.org/whatwedo/grants/
    search/Pages/Grant-Search.aspx
        In fiscal year 2018, NFWF was audited by an independent accounting
    firm and they issued an unqualified report with no material weaknesses
    identified and no deficiencies identified. This is the TENTH
    consecutive year of unqualified audits. In addition, NFWF has
    continually qualified as a low risk auditee under OMB guidelines.
        In fiscal year 2018, through voluntary discretionary cooperative
    agreements, NFWF partnered with 16 Federal agencies or departments and
    more than 30 corporations to support implementation of Federal
    conservation priorities. These efforts focused on working landscapes,
    private landowner outreach, natural resource conservation, coastal
    resiliency and community-based restoration.
                                   conclusion
        For more than three decades, NFWF has been at the forefront of
    national conservation activity. With our partners, NFWF has contributed
    to some of the Nation's most important conservation programs, invested
    millions in worthy and successful projects, and spearheaded programs to
    conserve our Nation's most treasured natural resources. We have a
    successful model of coordinating and leveraging Federal funds to
    attract support from the private sector to address the most significant
    threats to fish and wildlife populations and their habitats.
        Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall and members of the
    subcommittee, we greatly appreciate your continued support and stand
    ready to answer any questions you or your staff might have.

        [This statement was submitted by Greg E. Knadle, Vice President of
    Government Affairs.]
                                     ______

          Prepared Statement of the National Ground Water Association
        The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) requests that $5
    million be allocated in the fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment &
    Related Agencies appropriations bill to the United States Geological
    Survey (USGS) within the Water Resources program to continue and expand
    implementation and maintenance of a national groundwater monitoring
    network (NGWMN).
        In addition to funding, NGWA is also requesting report language
    extending eligibility of cooperative grant funding to Tribes, as well
    as State and local governments. Tribes are currently able to provide
    data to the network, but are not eligible to receive funding to create
    and/or maintain a groundwater monitoring network.
        NGWA's interest in this program comes from its position that
    management of groundwater resources should be a coordinated effort
    between Federal, State and local governments based on the strengths of
    each government level, the best science available, and the nature of
    the resource. NGWA is the world's largest association of groundwater
    professionals, representing public and private sector engineers,
    scientists, water well contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers of
    groundwater related products and services.
        The NGWMN is a great example of cooperation between levels of
    government, in order to manage and protect a vital natural resource.
        Water is one of the most critical natural resources to human,
    ecosystem and economic survival. Nationally, over 40 percent of the
    drinking water supply comes from groundwater and, in some locations, it
    is relied on by 80 percent of Americans for drinking water. Groundwater
    also serves as a key source of agricultural irrigation water.
        Despite the reliance on this natural resource, no systematic
    nationwide monitoring network is in place to measure what is currently
    available and how groundwater levels and quality may be changing over
    time. As with any valuable natural resource, groundwater reserves must
    be monitored to assist in planning and minimizing potential impacts
    from shortages or supply disruptions. Just as one cannot effectively
    oversee the Nation's economy without key data; one cannot adequately
    address the Nation's food, energy, economic, and drinking water
    security without understanding the extent, availability and
    sustainability of a critical input--groundwater.
        Congress acknowledged the need for enhanced groundwater monitoring
    by authorizing a national groundwater monitoring network in Public Law
    111-11 (Omnibus Public Land Management Act) in 2009, the SECURE Water
    Act, and viability of the network was proven through the completion of
    pilot projects in six States-Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Montana, New
    Jersey, and Texas. These States voluntarily pilot-tested concepts for a
    national groundwater monitoring network as developed by the Federal
    Advisory Committee on Water Information's (ACWI) Subcommittee on Ground
    Water (SOGW).
        Following completion of the pilots and reports on the viability of
    the NGWMN, congressional support for the network has enabled national
    implementation of the program:

      --Fiscal year 2015: $2.6 million (11 projects funded)
      --Fiscal year 2016: $3.6 million (24 projects funded)
      --Fiscal year 2017: $3.6 million (19 projects funded)
      --Fiscal year 2018: $3.6 million (24 projects funded)
      --Fiscal year 2019: $3.6 million (Awards pending)

        Thirty-three States are currently contributing data to the network,
    and entities receiving cooperative agreements are able to apply for one
    or 2 years of support. Because of this limit on the number of years
    funding can be providing, the costs of ongoing maintenance of the
    network are expected to be minimal once all States are connected.
        The NGWMN goes to great lengths to promote partnerships with State
    and local agencies receiving grants or providing data to the network.
    The State and local data providers retain ownership of the data and are
    credited as the providers.
        Once implemented nationwide, the NGWMN would provide consistent,
    comparable nationwide data that would be accessible through a public
    web portal for Federal, State, local government and private sector
    users. In these tight fiscal times, the proposed network would build on
    existing State and Federal investments, maximizing their usefulness and
    leveraging current dollars to build toward systematic nationwide
    monitoring of the groundwater resource.
        Grants are funded at a maximum of $150,000 per award, and funding
    from the NGWMN will be used for two purposes:

        1.  Provide grants to cost share increased expenses to upgrade
    monitoring networks for the 50 States to meet the standards necessary
    to understand the Nation's groundwater resources. Activities funded
    include: site selection, web services development, well drilling, well
    maintenance, among others.
        2.  Support the additional work necessary for USGS to manage a
    national groundwater monitoring network and provide national data
    access through an Internet web portal.

        A selection of State projects funded is listed below to demonstrate
    to type of work being funded by Congress in recent rounds of
    cooperative agreements:

            Fiscal Year 2015.--Utah Geological Survey: Project is to become
            a new data provider for the NGWMN. Will use EPA Storet to serve
            water-quality data to the NGWMN. Well construction and
            Lithology web services will be established to connect to the
            Portal. Wil also select and classify wells for the NGWMN,
            populate the NGWMN Well Registry, document data-collection and
            data management processes, and produce a final report. Will be
            providing water-quality data to the NGWMN.

            Fiscal Year 2015.--Mississippi Department of Environmental
            Quality: Project is to become a new data provider for the
            NGWMN. Tasks include: Establish webservices to provide data to
            NGWMN Portal, select and classify wells for the NGWMN, populate
            the NGWMN Well Registry, document data-collection and data
            managementprocesses, and produce a final report. Will be
            providing water-level data.

            Fiscal Year 2016.--Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: A 2-year
            project to become a data provider to the NGWMN in the first
            year and provide persistent data support in the second year.
            The Minnesota PCA was a Pilot project participant with the
            Network; however, the web services they set up for the Pilot
            were no longer functional due to database upgrades. For this
            project, they will be updating their web services to serve data
            to the Portal again. This project will expand their coverage to
            all Principal aquifers across the State.

            Fiscal Year 2017.--Missouri Department of Natural Resources:
            The Missouri DNR is a data provider through a Cooperative
            agreement with the USGS Missouri WSC. This is a 1 year project
            to remediate three wells that have been identified as having
            shallow groundwater enter the wells. The wells were examined
            using a borehole camera. The wells will be reconstructed by
            installing a shallow diameter liner and packers and grouting
            the well above the screen.

            Fiscal Year 2017.--Texas Water Development Board: This is a 1
            year project for providing persistent data services and site
            information gap filling. Lithology data for 900 wells will be
            entered into their new database from paper files as part of the
            site information gap filling work.

            Fiscal Year 2018.--Florida Department of Environmental
            Protection: This is a 2-year project to become a new data
            provider of water-quality data to the NGWMN. Sites will be
            selected from a groundwater trend network of 49 wells and two
            springs. They will be providing persistent data service for
            year two of the project. Lithology data for selected wells will
            be updated in year two of the project.

            Fiscal Year 2018.--Ohio Department of Natural Resources: The
            Ohio DNR is a current data provider through a Cooperative
            agreement with the USGS Ohio WSC. This is a 2-year project to
            do well maintenance and well drilling work. Well Maintenance
            work involves performing slug tests on 48 wells to determine
            connection to the aquifer. Two new wells will be drilled to
            fill gaps in the NGWMN coverage in Ohio.

        A complete list of all cooperative agreements funded is available
    on the cooperative agreements page of the NGWMN portal's website . Each
    recipient of funding must also provide USGS a report, following the
    conclusion of the funding period.
        Increased funding would enable the NGWMN to continue to grow and
    expand the number of States providing water quality and water level
    data. In addition, the types of work that could be funded by the
    network could also expand.
        Though the amount of funding requested is small in the context of
    the Department of Interior's annual budget request, funding is vital
    considering that, for a small investment, States and the USGS can
    implement adequate monitoring of the hidden resource that provides over
    40 percent of the Nation's drinking water supply and serves as a key
    driver for our economy.
        Thank you for your consideration of this request. With questions or
    in request of additional information, please contact Lauren Schapker,
    NGWA Government Affairs Director, at lschapker@ngwa.org.

        [This statement was submitted by Lauren Schapker, Government
    Affairs Director.]
                                     ______

             Prepared Statement of the National Humanities Alliance
    Dear Chairman Murkowski and Members of the subcommittee:

        I am writing to testify on behalf of the National Humanities
    Alliance in support of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
    and particularly the crucial role it plays in preserving our cultural
    heritage in the face of disaster. With NEH support, the Foundation for
    Advancement in Conservation has trained and mobilized teams across the
    country to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies, saving
    countless artifacts, artworks, and books that would otherwise be lost.
        A few examples illustrate the need for this work. In the days after
    Hurricane Katrina, firearms from the Civil War, covered in mud, sat on
    the banks of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Following Hurricane Sandy,
    costumes, props, and programs from the famed Martha Graham Dance
    Company floated in their storage space inundated by the storm surge. In
    the weeks after Hurricane Maria, swirls of mold covered the walls--from
    floor to ceiling--of a Puerto Rican library.
        The sense of loss that accompanies disasters is acute. That sense
    is heightened when our collective cultural heritage is imperiled as
    well.
        We rely on objects to learn from past generations and to carry our
    legacy into the future. Books, letters, records, photographs, film,
    works of art--whether located in our Nation's great museums or the
    cedar chest at home, our tangible cultural heritage is found in objects
    that are at risk of decomposing.
        It is the job of cultural heritage conservators to slow down the
    processes of decay, working with museums, libraries, and archives
    collections staff to provide the best environmental conditions possible
    and perform treatments on objects as needed. Conservators are an
    impressive bunch. Versed in art history, studio art, and chemistry,
    they go through rigorous training in order to do the essential work of
    preserving our cultural heritage. In my role at the Foundation for
    Advancement in Conservation, I work with a team of conservators and
    collections care professionals who volunteer their time and expertise
    to help collections affected by emergencies and disasters. This team,
    known as the National Heritage Responders, has done incredible work to
    salvage items when it seemed that all was lost.
        The team's work has been consistently supported by the NEH. The
    agency has funded research projects that have informed response
    protocols and supported innovative publications. The NEH has likewise
    supported team deployments following major disaster events, providing
    these volunteers with the equipment and resources needed for success.
        National Heritage Responders have a knowledge of materials on the
    molecular level that helps drive their decisionmaking processes in
    order to determine appropriate action. For example: while mold is a
    major threat for objects exposed to damp environments, some wet items
    can actually be frozen in order create a hostile setting for mold
    growth. Those objects can later be thawed and dried. Research and
    development of techniques in this area have moved forward in leaps and
    bounds over the past several decades. The NEH has played an important
    role in supporting this response work.
        While having measures in place to effectively respond to disasters
    is essential, those activities don't take into account the full scope
    of the disaster cycle. Preparedness and mitigation require foresight,
    innovation, and cooperation. The Foundation for Advancement in
    Conservation manages a program called Alliance for Response which aims
    to bring together collections professionals with emergency managers and
    first responders on the local level.
        These communities form cooperative disaster networks that work
    together to achieve collective goals: a network on the Mississippi Gulf
    Coast works closely with their emergency managers to share information
    with their members about upcoming storms, while a network in South
    Florida has a cultural heritage representative in their country
    Emergency Operations Center.
        The NEH has been supporting the work of Alliance for Response
    networks since 2010. The agency's investment in the program has allowed
    for the launch of new networks across the country while providing
    resources for the existing networks, such as training opportunities and
    informational webinars.
        Collaborating on the local level is essential, as each region faces
    their own challenges in terms of natural hazards. Increasingly extreme
    weather patterns are changing those hazards as well: California
    institutions face increased risk of wildfires, while hurricanes gather
    more power over warmer water, threatening those in their paths. Local
    networks are nimble in responding to these changing risks.
        The NEH has, through their history of funding, recognized the
    importance of supporting collecting institutions as they prepare for,
    respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters. The impact of
    these efforts is significant.
        When Hurricane Irma hit Florida in 2017, the Vizcaya Museum and
    Gardens in Miami--located on Biscayne Bay--suffered significant storm
    surge damage. However, just 4 months prior, the museum hosted an NEH-
    funded workshop on disaster response for the South Florida Alliance for
    Response network. After the storm, the museum's conservator knew to
    call the National Heritage Responders for assistance, which helped
    Vizcaya staff quickly stabilize the environment and minimize the impact
    of mold.
        Conservators and collections care professionals face significant
    challenges in protecting our cultural heritage for future generations.
    There is ample evidence to show that strategic funding by the NEH has
    laid important groundwork, but there is still much work to be done.
    With increased funding, the NEH can support the networking and training
    that are essential in protecting cultural heritage from emergencies and
    disasters. This important work must continue to make sure that the
    human story is preserved.
        Thank you for the opportunity to submit this testimony.
    The National Humanities Alliance
        The National Humanities Alliance (NHA) is a nationwide coalition of
    organizations advocating for the humanities on campuses, in
    communities, and on Capitol Hill. Founded in 1981, NHA is supported by
    over 200 member organizations, including: colleges, universities,
    libraries, museums, cultural organizations, State humanities councils,
    and scholarly, professional, and higher education associations. It is
    the only organization that brings together the U.S. humanities
    community as a whole.
    Foundation for Advancement in Conservation
        The Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) supports
    conservation education, research, and outreach activities that increase
    understanding of our global cultural heritage.

        [This statement was submitted by Jessica Unger, Emergency Programs
    Coordinator, Foundation for Advancement in Conservation.]
                                     ______

             Prepared Statement of the National Indian Health Board
        Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony in
    regards to fiscal year 2020 appropriations. On behalf of the National
    Indian Health Board (NIHB) and the 573 federally-recognized Tribes we
    serve, I submit this testimony on the Indian Health Service (IHS)
    fiscal year 2020 budget.
        Over the course of a century, the United States Federal Government
    entered into over 500 individual treaties with Tribal Nations that
    established the foundation for what we now call the Federal trust
    responsibility, which encompasses the provision of healthcare and
    public health services. This trust responsibility for health has been
    reaffirmed by Supreme Court rulings, Federal legislation, and
    presidential executive orders. The Indian Health Service (IHS) is the
    primary Federal agency entrusted with carrying out this duty; however,
    IHS has never been funded at the level of need. In fact, fiscal year
    2017 per capita expenditures for medical care amounted to just $4,078
    within IHS, compared to $9,726 nationally. Chronic underfunding of IHS
    has resulted in a lower quality of life and higher burden of
    preventable diseases among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/
    ANs). For example, in South Dakota, average life expectancy for
    American Indians and Alaska Natives is 58 years, compared to 82 years
    for non-Hispanic Whites.\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ South Dakota Department of Health. 2012. Mortality Rates.
    https://doh.sd.gov/Statistics/2012Vital/Mortality.pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           ihs advance appropriations
        First, NIHB wishes to thank Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member
    Udall for their leadership and strong support for securing advance
    appropriations for IHS. The most recent 35-day government shutdown
    destabilized Tribal governments and Native health delivery systems; as
    well as Native families, children and individuals. In fact, IHS was the
    only Federal health system impacted by the shutdown. Moreover, while
    IHS funding is not responsible for the Federal deficit nor were budget
    disputes preceding the shutdown specific to IHS, the Indian health
    system nevertheless felt the burden of the shutdown as many Tribes
    scrambled to keep health facilities open, to keep providers on their
    payroll, and to maintain services.
        Advance appropriations honors the Federal trust responsibility and
    helps ensure that the Federal Government meets its obligations for
    health services to Tribes. Advance appropriations also protect Native
    health systems in the event that Congress cannot pass a full budget by
    the start of each fiscal year. In September 2018, the Government
    Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report (GAO-18-652) stating, ``. .
    . uncertainty resulting from recurring continuing resolutions and from
    government shutdowns has led to adverse financial effects on Tribes and
    their healthcare programs.'' Thus, advance appropriations would help
    provide better continuity of care, and would help insulate Tribes from
    unrelated budget negotiations. While advance appropriations will not
    solve chronic underfunding of IHS, Tribes and NIHB believe that advance
    appropriations are an important interim step that will prepare the IHS
    for a transition to mandatory funding.
                                 sequestration
        We also urge you to fully exempt the Indian Health Service (IHS)
    from sequestration cuts that might occur in fiscal year 2020. Even a 2
    percent reduction is too much for an agency that provides direct health
    services and is already severely underfunded. Failure to completely
    exempt Tribal governments from sequestration will mean that Tribal
    communities are deprived of essential functions, resulting in loss of
    opportunity and even loss of life.
                    fiscal year 2020 funding recommendations
        Tribes and NIHB were pleased to see new line item requests in the
    fiscal year 2020 President's budget including a $25 million line item
    to modernize Electronic Health Records (EHRs); $25 million for HIV/AIDS
    and Hepatitis C prevention and treatment; and $20 million for a
    national Community Health Aide Program (CHAP). But while Indian Country
    supports funding for these initiatives, they must not come at the
    expense of other vitally important line items. For example, Tribes were
    dismayed at the proposed elimination of the Health Education program;
    by the roughly $39 million in cuts to the Community Health
    Representative (CHR) program; approximately $80 million in cuts to the
    Health Care Facilities Construction budget; and $52 million in proposed
    cuts to preventive health services in the President's budget. These
    cuts would devastate an Indian health system that has little dedicated
    funding for public health and preventative services. Thus, we strongly
    urge the Committee to ensure critical programs are maintained and
    increased, in addition to securing funding for the new line items.
            ihs tribal budget formulation workgroup recommendations
        The following budget recommendations reflect the IHS Tribal Budget
    Formulation Workgroup (TBFWG) recommendations for fiscal year 2021. The
    workgroup is comprised of Tribal leaders, technicians and researchers
    who come together each year to form Indian Country's priorities as they
    relate to IHS. Tribes recommend $36.8 billion to fully fund IHS.
    Specifically, this amount includes $22 billion for Medical Services;
    $1.77 billion for Dental and Vision Services; $4.29 billion for
    Community and Public Health Services; and $9.28 billion for facility
    upgrades and upfront costs (non-recurring investments). To begin the 12
    year phase-in of the full $36.8 billion request, Tribes recommend a
    $7.1 billion appropriation in fiscal year 2020. While all areas of the
    IHS budget are essential and an in need of strong increases for fiscal
    year 2020, Tribes have identified several top priorities: Hospitals &
    Clinics; Purchased/Referred Care (PRC); Mental Health; Alcohol &
    Substance Abuse Services; and Dental Services.
    Hospitals and Clinics
        In fiscal year 2020, Tribes recommend $2.5 billion for Hospitals
    and Clinics (H&C) which is $349 million over the fiscal year 2019
    enacted level. The H&C line item provides the base funding for the 650
    hospitals, clinics, and health programs that operate on Indian
    reservations, predominantly in rural settings. IHS H&C are challenged
    by factors including increased demand resulting from a significantly
    growing population; increased rate of chronic diseases; rising medical
    inflation; difficulty in recruiting and retaining providers in rural
    healthcare settings; and lack of adequate facilities and equipment.
    Increasing H&C funding is necessary as it supports the following: all
    primary medical care services, including inpatient care; routine
    ambulatory care; and medical support services, such as laboratory,
    pharmacy, medical records, and information technology. It also provides
    the greatest flexibility to support public health initiatives targeting
    health conditions disproportionately affecting AI/ANs such as diabetes,
    cancer, and hepatitis.
    Community Health Aide Program/Community Health Representatives
        For fiscal year 2020, Tribes recommend $83.2 million for the CHR
    program, which is an increase of $20.3 million above the fiscal year
    2019 enacted level. The President's budget request for fiscal year 2020
    proposes to phase out the CHR Program and replace it with a national
    CHAP initiative. While the CHAP initiative has shown much success, its
    expansion should not come at the expense of the critically important
    and highly successful CHR program. If this request were to be accepted,
    health services would fall flat and neither program would likely be
    able to effectively operate. For generations, CHRs have been integral
    to the fabric of health delivery in Indian Country and Tribes do not
    wish to see this historic program discontinued. CHRs provide services
    such as in-home patient assessment of medical conditions, glucose
    testing and blood pressure tests, preventive health screenings, and
    case management. They also help interpret prescriptions, which is
    critical for patient safety, especially for drugs with high risk of
    misuse.
        There are more than 1,600 CHRs representing over 250 Tribes in all
    12 IHS Areas, and 96 percent of CHR programs are operated by Tribes in
    partnership with IHS--one of the best examples of the Nation to Nation
    relationship between Tribes and the Federal Government. Program data
    from fiscal year 2016 demonstrated that CHRs conducted 340,270 home
    visits and provided 1,102,164 patient contacts/services on a variety of
    health related conditions. It is likely that far more contacts were
    made but not reflected in data due to reporting challenges. The Tribal
    recommendation for this line item would be to increase funding for the
    sole purpose of service delivery of CHR program services and functions.
    The CHAP program is also supported as a separate recommendation.
    Health IT
        IHS does not receive dedicated and sustainable funding to
    adequately support health IT infrastructure and training, including
    full deployment of EHRs. The current Resource and Patient Management
    System (RPMS) is a comprehensive suite of applications that supports
    virtually all clinical and business operations at IHS and most Tribal
    facilities, from patient registration to billing. Many Tribes are
    choosing to leave the system because IHS cannot properly maintain and
    update the system due to budget constraints and interoperability
    challenges. In addition, the Veterans' Health Administration (VHA) has
    announced a move to a commercial off the shelf system. This puts RPMS
    at risk because it is linked to the VHA EHR and receives technical
    updates and changes as a result of the VHA's work. NIHB echoes the
    TBFWG request to create a separate funding line item for Health IT to
    protect H& C funds to support direct care services. The President's
    budget has proposed a dedicated line item for EHR, so that IHS can
    either update the current EHR or initiate a process similar to that of
    the VHA.
    Purchased/Referred Care (PRC)
        For fiscal year 2020, Tribes recommend $1.4 billion for the
    Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) program. This is $426 million above the
    fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The PRC budget supports essential
    healthcare services from non-IHS or non-Tribal providers. In fiscal
    year 2016, PRC denied over $423.6 million in services--that's 92,354
    needed healthcare services that AI/ANs were denied from receiving due
    to budget constraints. That is unacceptable. Deferral of care costs
    lives in Indian Country, and contributes to the lower health status of
    AI/ANs.
    Mental Health
        For fiscal year 2020, Tribes are recommending $254.7 million. This
    is $149.4 million above fiscal year 2019 enacted. Addressing mental
    health disparities remains a top priority in Indian Country, and a
    significant increase in this line item helps ensure Tribal communities
    can develop innovative and culturally appropriate prevention programs.
    Research has demonstrated that AI/ANs do not prefer to seek mental
    health services through Western models of care due to lack of cultural
    sensitivity; which suggests that AI/ANs are not receiving the services
    they need to help reduce these alarming statistics.\2\ In the
    California Area, for example, lack of funding is reflected by 2017
    Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) data. Of patients that
    were diagnosed with depression, only 30 percent received a prescription
    for antidepressants with enough medication and refills to last 12
    weeks, and only 10 percent received enough to last 6 months. An
    increase in funding and subsequent staffing would allow a greater
    percentage of the population to be seen and treated by behavioral
    health specialists.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ Walls, M. L., Johnson, K. D., Whitbeck, L. B., & Hoyt, D. R.
    (2006). Mental health and substance abuse services preferences among
    American Indian people of the northern Midwest. Community Mental Health
    Journal, 42, 521-535.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Alcohol and Substance Abuse
        For fiscal year 2020, Tribes recommend $351.2 million for the
    Alcohol and Substance Abuse budget. This is $105.7 million above the
    fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Alcohol and substance addiction have
    grave impacts that ripple across Indian Country causing adverse health
    outcomes that break the social fabric of Tribal traditions and ties.
    NIHB was pleased to see $10 million allocated for the Special
    Behavioral Health Pilot Program in the fiscal year 2019 conference
    report. We encourage the Committee to continue building on this
    investment, and work with authorizing committees to enact mandatory
    appropriations for this program, as is the case for the Special
    Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI). SDPI works because it is
    consistent, broad-based funding that reaches a significant amount of
    Tribes, with a funding structure that Tribes prefer.
    Dental Health
        For fiscal year 2020, Tribes recommend $288 million for Dental
    Health. This is $83.3 million above the fiscal year 2019 level. In the
    general U.S. population, there is one dentist for every 1,500 people;
    but in Indian Country, there is only one dentist for every 2,800
    people. Nationally, AI/AN children have the highest rate of tooth
    decay. This is why Tribes continue to advocate for the expansion of
    Dental Therapists (DTs), whom have been practicing successfully in
    Alaskan Native Villages for over a decade. DTs are primary oral health
    providers that live and work in the communities they serve providing
    routine care to patients so that the need for emergency services is
    minimized and patients are experiencing greater overall oral health
    outcomes.
    Facilities
        For fiscal year 2020, Tribes recommend a total of $887.9 million
    for facilities appropriations which is an increase of $9 million over
    the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. These increases will be used to
    improve maintenance of IHS facilities, speed up the funding of projects
    on the IHS Healthcare priority list, and improve sanitation conditions
    in Tribal communities. IHS facilities are some of the oldest health
    facilities in the Nation. Whereas the average age of mainstream
    hospital is roughly 10 years, at current rates of funding, an IHS
    facility built today would not be replaced for another 400 years! \3\
    Investments in Indian health facilities will allow the care provided in
    our communities to commensurate other health systems in the United
    States.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ Federal Indian Trust Responsibility: ``The Quest for Equitable
    and Quality Indian Healthcare--The National Tribal Budget Formulation
    Workgroup's Recommendations on the Indian Health Service Fiscal Year
    2018 Budget.'' June 2016. P. 64.

        [This statement was submitted by Victoria Kitcheyan, Chairperson.]
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the National Parks Conservation Association
        Chairman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall and Members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on
    behalf of National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). Founded in
    1919, NPCA is the leading national, independent voice for protecting
    and enhancing America's National Park System for present and future
    generations. I appreciate the opportunity to provide our views
    regarding the National Park Service (NPS) fiscal year 2020 budget and
    funding issues facing our national parks this year.
        National parks protect America's heritage and deliver robust
    economic returns of $10 in economic benefits nationally for every
    dollar invested in the NPS. In 2017, more than $18 billion in visitor
    spending supported nearly $36 billion in economic activity and 306,000
    jobs. NPCA and other polling indicates the vast popularity of national
    parks and strong bipartisan support for adequately funding them. And of
    course, they are deeply loved by the American people in part because
    they protect our cultural and natural heritage.
        We acknowledge the tremendous challenge the subcommittee faces in
    setting thoughtful spending priorities, so we are grateful for your
    consistent support for the National Park Service. NPCA and our partners
    in the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition commend your
    subcommittee for providing needed increases for the National Park
    Service the last six fiscal years, with particularly commendable
    increases in fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2018. This will be
    helpful for parks to address their funding challenges. As they are
    still considerably behind where they need to be to meet their mission,
    we urge you to do your best to build on this support in fiscal year
    2020.
        Top three fiscal year 2020 Priorities: NPCA requests appropriated
    funding for NPS with a focus on these accounts:

        1.  $2.606 billion for `Operation of the National Park System'
        2.  $508.6 million for `National Parks Construction'
        3.  $30 million for `National Park Partnerships'/Centennial
    Challenge

        These requests are based upon the proportional increases in fiscal
    year 2016, recognizing that Congress has met these goals before. There
    are numerous other NPS accounts and programs important to us, and we
    outline several of them later in this testimony.
        The President's fiscal year 2020 budget: Not helpful to your work
    in fiscal year 2020 is yet another draconian and unrealistic
    president's budget. Cuts to park service staffing, repairs and other
    needs would set the park service back considerably. Proposed deep cuts
    to EPA and other agencies important to protecting parks' environment
    are further damaging. We commend Congress for wholeheartedly rejecting
    these cuts last year and urge that you continue to support our parks.
        The need for a funding deal and an improved 302(b) allocation for
    the Interior and Environment subcommittee: We respect that this fiscal
    year was painful and hope that fiscal year 2020 can be far more
    functional. We urge decision-makers and the president to work together
    to agree to a deal to lift the budget caps for the final 2 years of the
    Budget Control Act. To do otherwise would be vastly damaging to
    nondiscretionary needs including for our national parks. We urge an
    improved 302(b) allocation to meet needs at parks and for other
    agencies and programs under your jurisdiction.
        Appropriated funding for the deferred maintenance backlog: The
    backlog continues to threaten the protection of nationally significant
    resources and, eventually the experience of visitors. Investments are
    needed for visitor centers, trails, water systems, and more. The
    subcommittee's recent increases for maintenance accounts the last
    several years have been very helpful for national parks. Unfortunately,
    the backlog grew by more than $300 million during fiscal year 2017 and
    despite increases since then, we know that more is needed to build on
    that good work to chip away at the now $11.9 billion backlog.
        Support for our request would help address the backlog with
    investments in the repair/rehab and cyclic maintenance Operations
    subaccounts, and line-item construction subaccount. For your
    information, we are also urging the Transportation, Housing and Urban
    Development subcommittee to fund at the fully authorized $100 million
    annually the Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects
    Program, which funds transportation infrastructure for parks and other
    Federal lands, and Tribal lands. We were grateful for the $25 million
    appropriated to this fund in fiscal year 2019. We hope that
    subcommittee can meet the fully authorized amount this fiscal year, and
    even provide a full $175 million to catch up on the shortfall in this
    year's appropriation.
        Centennial Challenge: This program provides Federal funds to match
    private funds for projects throughout the park system that improve the
    visitor experience, including but not limited to deferred maintenance
    projects. We commend this subcommittee for the increases for the
    program the last three fiscal years. This support has leveraged more
    than two dollars for every dollar invested for signature projects
    across the National Park System that enhance the visiting experience.
    Many more philanthropic opportunities await, so we hope the
    subcommittee can increase funding for this successful program that
    enjoys strong bipartisan support.
        We commend Congress for passage of the Centennial Act in 2016 to
    dedicate funding to that program and to a newly established endowment.
    Given the extraordinary philanthropic interest in the program,
    sustained or increased appropriations in addition to those funds would
    help leverage additional philanthropic dollars-a wise investment. We
    understand the intent of the committee in directing Centennial
    Challenge dollars to focus on deferred maintenance. While deferred
    maintenance projects funded by this program are critical, NPCA
    respectfully reminds the committee of the importance of other
    philanthropically-driven projects that improve the visiting experience
    in ways beyond maintenance.
        Dedicated backlog funding: We continue to urge Congress to
    recognize that a more realistic long-term solution is needed to address
    the maintenance backlog. Under current allocations established by the
    Budget Control Act, and even beyond given the constraints of the
    appropriations process, it is difficult to see how this subcommittee
    will be able to address even the highest priority non-transportation
    facilities' needs. We also recognize the constraints of the Highway
    Trust Fund in meeting the bulk of park transportation infrastructure
    needs. These funding sources are simply limited in their ability to
    address the large size of the backlog.
        NPCA is a strong advocate for the Restore Our Parks/Restore Our
    Parks and Public Lands Act (S. 500/H.R. 1225). We urge the members of
    the committee to cosponsor the bill and work with other members of
    Congress and the administration to ensure passage of a bill that
    dedicates robust and dependable funding to the maintenance challenge.
        We respectfully request Operations investments for non-maintenance
    needs: While the maintenance backlog is one of our highest funding
    priorities, we do not want a focus on the backlog to cause other needed
    work to fall further behind; therefore, we respectfully request broad
    investments in park operations to address the many operating needs
    beyond maintenance.
        In recent years, NPS has experienced a gradual erosion of staff in
    most years. As you know, these losses can be damaging, with impacts
    such as less day-to-day maintenance, less scientific inventory and
    monitoring, reduced hours or even closed public facilities, fewer
    visitor programs, and other challenges to parks fulfilling their
    mission. The challenge is compounded by significant increases in
    visitation that require staff time. Between 2011 and 2018, NPS
    experienced a 14 percent reduction in staff while at the same time the
    National Park System experienced a 14 percent increase in visitation.
    We appreciate the committee's attention to these ongoing needs, and
    that while the maintenance backlog is a profound problem that NPCA and
    others are prioritizing, these other needs must be addressed.
        Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): The acquisition of
    inholdings is directly related to better managing the places in which
    our Nation already has made a significant investment. Thus, we urge
    support for the NPS Federal land acquisition and management portion of
    LWCF, a critical tool for protecting our national parks. We applaud
    Congress for the recent permanent reauthorization of LWCF, which was an
    exciting show of support for this important program. We ask Congress to
    build on this support by providing more robust appropriations and
    dedicated funding at its fully authorized amount of $900 million
    annually. Accordingly, we urge support for S. 1081, the Land and Water
    Conservation Fund Permanent Funding Act.
        We commend the recent congressional recognition for supporting both
    LWCF and deferred maintenance and urge Congress to support dedicated
    funding for both these important needs.
        National Heritage Areas (NHAs): NPCA is a strong supporter of the
    National Heritage Area program. The more than fifty existing NHAs have
    generated $12 billion in economic activity and $1.2 billion in tax
    revenues and generated over 900,000 volunteer service hours. This
    mighty program with a modest budget deserves support from both Congress
    and the president.
        Historic Preservation Fund (HPF): The HPF provides the primary
    source of funding for State Historic and Tribal Historic Preservation
    Offices in all 50 States. The HPF also supports the Historic Tax Credit
    program, responsible for the rehabilitation of over 40,000 buildings,
    the creation of 2.5 million jobs and the leveraging of $117 billion in
    private investments in historic preservation projects. We request
    continued support for this important program, with gradual increases
    until it reaches its fully authorized amount of $150 million annually.
        Policy Riders: Efforts to attach environmentally damaging policy
    riders only further threatens the appropriations process, so we were
    grateful that the final fiscal year 2019 bill was largely free of the
    many proposed riders that would have threatened parks, their
    ecosystems, and the health of visitors and wildlife within them. We
    urge continued rejection of efforts to attach damaging riders.
        National Park Fees: NPCA recognizes that fees play an important
    role in supplementing Federal funds, but they can never realistically
    be a major funding source for parks. We forcefully opposed the
    administration's excessive effort to increase fees at 17 parks during
    peak season and commend their withdrawing that effort. While the new
    fees will be more modest, on top of recent fee increases, we fear the
    higher amounts could price Americans out of the parks they own. We are
    urging the administration to research the price point at which fees do
    not discourage visitation, particularly for lower income families. We
    ask Congress to consider setting those fee levels to be adjusted every
    two or 3 years by inflation automatically, thus reducing the
    complications that arise with fee decisions and keeping fees at a fair
    and even rate in constant dollars.
        We urge the committee in general to continue exercising oversight
    of fees to keep parks affordable.
        The Administration's Department of the Interior Reorganization
    Effort: We remain deeply concerned about the administration's proposal
    to reorganize the Department. Our chief concerns are: a lack of
    transparency and public involvement; a lack of clarity on the problems
    to be solved, the purposes and goals of the proposal and its
    components, and the suggested timeline for implementation; the
    potential for the proposal to erode the unique NPS mission; shifting
    the number and role of regional offices and staff; the potential for
    the effort to reduce the capacity, presence or coordinating capacity of
    the Washington Support Office (WASO), Denver Service Center and
    regional support offices; the potential cost of the proposal to an
    under-resourced park service; and the potential this proposal could be
    connected with a workforce reduction effort.
        We commend the committee's extensive and improved fiscal year 2019
    report language exercising oversight over this proposal and appreciate
    your continued oversight to ensure the integrity of NPS and the
    Department more broadly. This proposal threatens to undermine the
    authority of the National Park Service.
        The recent government shutdown: The recent government shutdown was
    extraordinarily damaging to our national parks, their visitors, partner
    groups, park staff and businesses. It should never be repeated. This
    shutdown was made much worse not only by its extended duration-more
    than twice the length of the October 2013 shutdown-but by the
    administration's damaging decisions to leave many parks partially open
    despite a lack of staff, and then to use fee dollars intended for other
    purposes to extend this damaging situation.
        We contend the administration violated, at a minimum, the spirit of
    several laws but was also in clear violation of the Organic Act that
    established the park service by leaving parks open to harm and
    continuing the situation despite this clear harm. We commend Chairwoman
    McCollum for exercising oversight to hold the administration
    responsible for its decisions and urge you to continue this oversight.
    Among other fears we continue to have is that the Department of the
    Interior will seek to reprogram badly needed operating dollars for
    staffing at the border, as they did last year. The administration
    appears to be of the philosophy that parks can operate with
    insufficient staff and resources and that they can shift funds by going
    around appropriators, who hold the power of the purse as you know well.
    Furthermore, decisions such as these only contribute to the funding
    woes with which the park service already struggles.
        In conclusion: We recognize the subcommittee's constrained
    allocation, and thus commend the recent funding increases to NPS and
    commitment to our parks well-being. We urge a budget deal, an improved
    subcommittee allocation, and for you to provide the best funding level
    possible for NPS in fiscal year 2020 to help the agency recover from
    underfunding. Further, we appreciate your oversight over the
    administration's proposals regarding fees and reorganization, and the
    reprogramming of funds and other damaging decisions during the shutdown
    and beyond.
        Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

        [This statement was submitted by John Garder, Senior Director of
    Budget and Appropriations.]
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
        Chairman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee, I appreciate this opportunity to present the National
    Trust for Historic Preservation's recommendations for fiscal year 2020
    appropriations. My name is Tom Cassidy and I am the Vice President of
    Government Relations and Policy. The National Trust is a privately-
    funded nonprofit organization chartered by Congress in 1949. We work to
    save America's historic places to enrich our future.
        We look forward to working with this subcommittee as you address
    the ongoing needs for investments to sustain our Nation's rich heritage
    of cultural and historic resources that also generate lasting economic
    and civic vitality for communities throughout the Nation.
        National Park Service: Historic Preservation Fund.--The Historic
    Preservation Fund (HPF) is the principal source of funding to implement
    the Nation's historic preservation programs. The National Trust is
    enormously appreciative of the strong funding levels the Committee has
    provided in recent years, including fiscal year 2019's $102.66 million,
    the highest level of HPF funding in history. HPF funding supports
    fundamental preservation activities such as survey, nomination of
    properties to the National Register of Historic Places, public
    education, as well as project review required the Federal Historic
    Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HTC) projects.
        We request that Congress provide a total fiscal year 2020 HPF
    appropriation of $148.5 million. Within that funding we recommend:

      --$60 million for State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs);
      --$20 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs);
      --$5 million for a competitive grant program for SHPOs and THPOs to
            invest in geographic information systems-based mapping and
            digitization of historic resources--this would bring 21st
            century technology to the identification of historic resources
            at the very earliest stages of project planning leading both to
            protection of historic sites and promoting more efficient
            delivery of infrastructure projects;
      --$30 million for competitive grants to preserve the sites and
            stories of efforts to advance civil rights of underrepresented
            communities, $20 million of which is to preserve the sites and
            stories of the African American Civil Rights movement--this
            will ensure grants to preserve the sites and stories of civil
            rights for all Americans;
      --$10 million for grants to Historically Black Colleges and
            Universities to preserve and rehabilitate historic buildings;
      --$15 million for Save America's Treasures grants;
      --$7.5 million for preservation grants to revitalize historic
            properties of national, state, and local significance;
      --$1 million for competitive grants for the survey and nomination of
            properties associated with communities currently
            underrepresented on the National Register of Historic Places
            and National Historic Landmarks.

        National Park Service: Operation of the National Park System.--The
    National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for 421 units of the
    National Park System ranging from the battlefields where our ancestors
    fought and died to recent additions like the Birmingham Civil Rights
    National Monument and the Reconstruction Era National Monument. Over
    the past 25 years, more than 50 new parks have been added to the park
    system, many of which preserve historic places and themes that have
    been underrepresented within the system. We encourage the Committee to
    provide at least level funding of $2.5 billion from fiscal year 2019 to
    maintain stewardship of historic and cultural resources and prevent
    reductions in visitor services at a time when our national parks are
    more popular than ever. Within this funding, we recommend robust
    funding for Resource Stewardship, including $2 million for the National
    Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, $2 million for the recently
    established African American Civil Rights Network, and $2 million for
    the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network established in the
    John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act
    (Public Law 116-9).
        National Park Service: Deferred Maintenance.--The National Park
    Service (NPS) is responsible for maintaining a system comprised of more
    than 84 million acres that tells the stories of remarkable people and
    events in our country's history. Unfortunately, after 100 years of
    operation and inconsistent public funding, the National Park System
    faces a deferred maintenance backlog estimated at nearly $12 billion,
    of which 47 percent is attributed to historic assets. Deferred
    maintenance in our national parks puts historic and cultural sites at
    risk of permanent damage or loss, and in the absence of funding, the
    condition of these assets will continue to deteriorate and become more
    expensive to repair and preserve in the future.

      --Construction.--We recommend at least $160 million for Line Item
            Construction projects that address the deferred maintenance for
            the NPS' highest priority non-transportation assets with
            projects greater than $1 million.
      --Repair and Rehabilitation; Cyclic Maintenance.--We are enormously
            appreciative of the Committee's commitment to enhancing these
            accounts with significant investments since fiscal year 2016;
            it is making a significant impact on addressing the long-term
            maintenance needs of the parks. We recommend a continuation of
            these impactful investments with $150 million for Repair and
            Rehabilitation, an increase of $14 million above fiscal year
            2019 enacted and $166 million for Cyclic Maintenance, an
            increase of $15 million above fiscal year 2019 enacted.
      --Dedicated Funding for Deferred Maintenance.--We strongly support
            the creation of a reliable, dedicated Federal funding source
            distinct from annual appropriations to address the deferred
            maintenance backlog, as provided in the bipartisan Restore Our
            Parks Act (S. 500) introduced in the Senate and the Restore Our
            Parks and Public Lands Act (H.R. 1225) introduced in the House.
      --Leasing Historic Structures in National Parks.--We appreciate the
            Committees' strong support of expanded use of historic leasing
            authorities by the NPS. Leasing is a well-established tool that
            can bring non-Federal resources to the rehabilitation and use
            of under-utilized or abandoned buildings within the parks. I
            testified at a House Natural Resources Committee field hearing
            on this topic in Hot Springs, AR last September. We are hopeful
            that the administration will give greater priority to this
            important issue this year.
      --Volunteerism.--The National Trust recognizes that direct Federal
            funding is insufficient to provide all the resources necessary
            to maintain the parks. As part of our commitment to assist the
            NPS with reducing the maintenance backlog of historic
            properties, the National Trust launched the HOPE Crew (which
            stands for the Hands-On Preservation Experience) initiative in
            2014. The HOPE Crew program has trained over 700 young people
            and veterans and engaged 3,000 volunteers at over 150 projects
            nationwide, completing 120,000 hours and helping to support $18
            million in preservation work. This work includes rehabilitating
            structures at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park,
            Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, Golden Gate
            National Recreation Area, and Shenandoah National Park.
            Projects like these help to reduce the maintenance backlog
            while providing job skills and education for the next
            generation of stewards of America's most important historic
            sites.

        National Park Service: Cultural Programs.--Within its cultural
    programs, the NPS manages the National Register of Historic Places
    certifies Federal Historic Tax Credit projects, coordinates Federal
    archaeology programs, and provides funding through the Native American
    Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Grants, Japanese American
    Confinement Sites Grants, and American Battlefield Protection Program
    Assistance Grants. The National Trust recommends $28 million in fiscal
    year 2020, an increase of about $2.5 million from fiscal year 2019.
    Increased funding will enhance preservation of and access to the
    National Register, including modernizing its information system. It
    will also support sustained demands to review and approve Federal
    historic tax credits.
        National Park Service: International Park Affairs, Office of
    International Affairs.--The National Trust recommends $1.926 million
    for International Park Affairs, including at least $1.25 million for
    the Office of International Affairs to ensure engagement in the World
    Heritage Program and support the dozens of communities and sites across
    the country seeking nomination to the World Heritage List. This would
    be a $278,000 increase above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The
    Office of International Affairs is responsible for selecting sites for
    the World Heritage Tentative List and shepherding them through the
    detailed nomination process. Examples of pending sites include Hopewell
    Ceremonial Earthworks (Ohio) and Civil Rights Movement Sites (Alabama,
    Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi). We oppose the administration's
    proposal to shift the Southwest Border Resource Protection Program into
    the Office of International Affairs and at the same time drastically
    reduce overall program funding.
        National Park Service: National Heritage Areas.--We recommend $32
    million for the Heritage Partnership Program and National Heritage
    Areas (NHAs). This funding supports commissions and grants to the now
    55 individual NHAs, as well as administrative support for coordination,
    guidance, assistance, and training. According to the Alliance of
    National Heritage Areas, enhanced funding of $32 million will ensure
    that current areas can continue their work.
        Bureau of Land Management: Cultural Resources Management.--The BLM
    oversees the largest, most diverse and scientifically important
    collection of historic and cultural resources on our Nation's public
    lands, as well as the museum collections and data associated with them.
    The cultural resources program also supports NHPA Section 106 review of
    land-use proposals, Section 110 inventory and protection of cultural
    resources, compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and
    Repatriation Act, and consultation with Tribes and Alaska Native
    Governments. We recommend $20 million, a modest increase of about $3
    million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Increased funding is
    necessary to fulfill BLM's statutory requirements for inventory and
    protection of cultural resources. Funding would also support ongoing
    collaboration with western SHPOs through the Cultural Resources Data
    Partnership to digitize and standardize data in a GIS format through
    the National Cultural Resources Information Management System. This
    effort promotes consideration of cultural resources early in the
    planning process when it can inform siting decisions and reduce
    potential conflicts with cultural resources.
        Bureau of Land Management: National Landscape Conservation
    System.--The BLM's National Landscape Conservation System (National
    Conservation Lands) includes 36 million acres of congressionally and
    presidentially designated lands, including National Monuments, National
    Conservation Areas, Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas, National Scenic
    and Historic Trails, and Wild and Scenic Rivers. This includes new
    additions such as the Bears Ears National Monument. We encourage the
    Committee to provide $45 million to the base program for the National
    Landscape Conservation System, an increase of $5.181 million above the
    fiscal year 2019 enacted level. An increase will allow for greater
    inventory and monitoring of cultural resources, prevent critical damage
    to the resources found in these areas, ensure proper management, and
    provide for a quality visitor experience. We also support providing at
    least level funding for wilderness management and national monument
    management on Oregon and California Grant Lands.
        Department-Wide: Land and Water Conservation Fund.--The National
    Trust supports robust funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund
    (LWCF), and we encourage the Committee to continue increasing LWCF
    toward its authorized level of $900 million. Many of the Nation's most
    significant historic and cultural landscapes have been permanently
    protected through LWCF investments, including Martin Luther King Jr.
    National Historical Park, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument,
    and Hopewell Culture National Historic Park. In total, more than $550
    million has been invested to acquire historic sites and 137,000 acres
    in 162 NPS units. Within LWCF funding, we encourage the Committee to
    provide at least level funding of $10 million for the American
    Battlefield Protection Program.
        Independent Agencies: National Endowment for the Arts and National
    Endowment for the Humanities.--We urge the Committee to provide $167.5
    million each for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National
    Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). NEA and NEH funding is critical to
    communities around the country. It has also supported efforts by the
    National Trust's Historic Sites and others to tell a fuller American
    story and engage visitors with history in compelling ways. For example,
    support from the NEA has created programs like Art and Shadows at the
    Shadows-on-the-Teche in Louisiana. which put regionally-based artists
    in residence at the site, resulting in programming that attracted new
    audiences and brought people from around the country to the town's
    downtown commercial district. NEH support has brought teachers from
    around the country to learn about history in the places that it was
    made and to carry those experiences back to their classrooms, including
    exploring the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier and
    discovering the rich, but largely unknown, African American history in
    the President's neighborhood at Decatur House.
        Independent Agencies: Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.--
    We recommend at least $7 million for the Advisory Council on Historic
    Preservation (ACHP). In fiscal year 2020, the ACHP will continue to
    play an important role in efforts to improve the delivery of major
    infrastructure projects and continue to focus on improving consultation
    with Indian Tribes to make environmental reviews more efficient and
    expeditious for infrastructure projects. An increase in funding would
    enable the ACHP to better address new requirements regarding
    information technology and cybersecurity and annual government mandated
    personnel cost increases, which put a strain on the ACHP's budget.
        Thank you for considering our testimony. I would be pleased to
    answer any questions you may have.

        [This statement was submitted by Tom Cassidy, Vice President for
    Government Relations and Policy.]
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the National Wildlife Refuge Association
    Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee:

        The National Wildlife Refuge Association and its membership of
    representatives from Refuge Friends organizations and concerned
    citizens thank you for your support for the National Wildlife Refuge
    System (Refuge System) particularly for the small funding increases
    over the last several fiscal years. We appreciate the opportunity to
    offer comments on the fiscal year 2020 Interior Appropriations bill and
    respectfully request:

      --$586 million for the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) accounts of
            the Refuge System;
      --$900 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), with
            $150 million allocated for the FWS, including these high
            priority requests:

        --$10 million for Everglades Headwaters NWR and Conservation Area
                (FL);
        --$6 million for Silvio O. Conte NFWR (CT, NH, VT, MA);
        --$3 million for Cache River NWR (AR);
        --$2 million for Bear River Watershed Conservation Area (WY, ID,
                UT);
        --$2 million for Blackwater NWR (MD);
        --$2 million for Clarks River NWR (KY);
        --$8 million for Hakalau Forest NWR (HI); and
        --$8 million for the Dakota Grasslands Conservation Area (ND, SD);

      --$50 million for the Refuge Fund;
      --$75 million for the FWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program;
      --$75 million for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program;
      --$47.6 million for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund;
      --$6 million for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Fund.

        All of the programs delineated above add value both to wildlife
    conservation in all 50 States and to the economic activity in local
    communities. Wildlife refuges and the NWRS average almost $5 in
    economic return for every $1 appropriated. By far, the biggest
    challenge facing the Refuge System today is the completely inadequate
    budgets that fail to cover the cost of maintaining the incredibly rich
    and diverse wildlife habitats that make up the Refuge System.
        The funding gap that has arisen due to low budget allocations over
    the last decade has degraded critical wildlife habitat and imperil
    important species. We must change this trajectory.
        The Refuge System is currently responsible for 835 million acres of
    land and water. Of that total, 740 million acres are included in the 5
    Marine National Monuments created by Presidents Bush and Obama, yet
    very little additional funding has been provided to these water
    resources since their initial creation in 2006.
        The Service is also expanding its outreach by working to make
    conservation more accessible to the American public via urban refuges
    and urban partnerships. To begin bridging these gaps, the Refuge
    Association urges Congress to fund these critical programs that
    leverage Federal dollars and serve as economic drivers.
           national wildlife refuge system--operations & maintenance
        The Refuge Association chairs the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge
    Enhancement (CARE), a 25-year-old diverse coalition of 23 sporting,
    conservation, and scientific organizations representing more than 16
    million Americans that supports increased funding for the Refuge
    System. CARE estimates the NWRS needs at least $900 million annually to
    manage its 95 million land acres and 740 million acres of marine
    national monuments. Yet the Refuge System is currently funded at
    roughly half that amount--$487.7 million or 58 cents per acre.
        The Refuge System cannot fulfill its obligation to the American
    public, our wildlife, and 55.8 million annual visitors without
    increases in maintenance and operation funds.
        Funding for the Refuge System has declined substantially from a
    funding level of $503 million in fiscal year 2010 to its current fiscal
    year 2019 $488 million--$92 million below the $580 million it needs
    just to keep pace with inflation and salary increases. This has forced
    the Service to cut back on programs and create efficiencies whenever
    possible--efficiencies that are sometimes harmful or even dangerous.
    For example, many refuges have been placed into complexes, where staff
    travel sometimes large distances to juggle duties on multiple refuges.
    Three States have no refuge law enforcement staff on the ground, and 13
    others have only one law enforcement officer for the entire State.
    Several States have no visitor services or environmental education
    staff.
        Even with these challenges, the Service has risen to the occasion
    and taken care of the lands and waters entrusted to it. Staff work
    overtime and on weekends. Law enforcement staff are pulled off their
    duty station to cover shifts on the southern border. And the Service
    has cut its deferred maintenance backlog in half from $2.7 billion to
    $1.16 billion. But budget cuts also led to the loss of 488 positions
    since fiscal year 2011. Because most refuge lands and waters are highly
    managed to provide optimal habitat conditions, this deterioration in
    staffing has had a dramatic impact resulting in significant declines in
    habitat protection and management, hunting, fishing, volunteerism and
    scientific research.
        Visitation to all refuges jumped by 8 million over the last 6
    years. Overall, more people are looking to recreate on wildlife
    refuges, yet understaffed refuges struggle to provide those
    opportunities. Reductions in visitor services can be extremely
    troubling to constituencies who want to visit. At Tualatin River NWR in
    Oregon, elimination of the visitor services position cut all teacher
    training workshops and community outreach. Prior to this loss, over 100
    teachers were trained each year at the refuge. Due to budget
    shortfalls, Patuxent Research Refuge in Maryland--the refuge closest to
    the Nation's Capitol--has cut back on school programs, reduced its
    visitor service staff by half, and even closed its visitor's center
    every Thursday.
        Equally troubling is a 15 percent drop in the number of volunteers
    since fiscal year 2011. At a time when record numbers of Americans are
    retiring and have the capability and desire to give back, the Service's
    ability to oversee their efforts has been curtailed. Volunteers provide
    an additional 20 percent of work on our national wildlife refuges, yet
    they are being turned away when the System needs them the most.
        We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to the health of our
    Nation's national wildlife refuges that funding be increased, and
    increased substantially. We are asking that your subcommittee provide
    nearly a $100 million increase, and we do not ask this lightly. We
    understand the budget challenges this committee faces, but the
    situation on the ground is critical. The Refuge System is bare bones
    right now and cannot face more cuts. Every year, more and more refuges
    are closed to the public, habitat degrades, and visitors are turned
    away.
        The Refuge Association appreciates the subcommittee's consideration
    of our request of $586 million for fiscal year 2020 for National
    Wildlife Refuge System Operations and Maintenance.
           strategic growth--land and water conservation fund (lwcf)
        The Land and Water Conservation Fund is an essential tool for
    protecting the integrity of the Refuge System and is the primary
    funding source for land and conservation easement acquisition by
    Federal land agencies. Some in Congress have argued that public lands
    like the Refuge System can't manage what they have and thus, all land
    acquisition should end. We believe that land acquisition in fee simple
    and as part of a targeted easement program will provide an important
    mix of habitats that will only increase the habitat value of the Refuge
    System.
        Conservation easements add very little to operations and management
    costs, compared to other kinds of protected lands. In many cases, land
    acquisition is required to conserve intact and functional natural
    habitat. The Refuge System is responsible for safeguarding population
    levels of a range of species, including many that require specific
    habitat conditions, such as beaches for sea turtles and isolated
    springs for endemic desert fish. Other species require multiple habitat
    types during their life cycle. By acquiring critical habitat areas and
    linking conserved lands, the Refuge System enhances the integrity of
    the System and strengthens our network of habitat to give wildlife
    space and time to respond to changes, whether from climate or changing
    land use patterns.
        The Refuge Association calls on Congress to fund LWCF at $900
    million per year, with $150 million provided in fiscal year 2020 to the
    USFWS, including the projects enumerated at the beginning of this
    statement and those advocated by Refuge Friends.
                 commitment to refuge communities--refuge fund
        The Refuge System uses net income derived from permits and timber
    harvests to make payments to local communities to offset property tax
    revenue lost when the federally-acquired lands are removed from local
    tax rolls. The System relies on congressional appropriations to the
    Refuge Fund to compensate for the shortfall between revenues and tax
    replacement obligations. However, declining revenues and lack of
    appropriations have resulted in the Service paying less than 50 percent
    of its tax-offset obligations since 2001. Reduced funding threatens the
    partnerships that are so important for successful conservation, and the
    negative impact on local communities is felt even more starkly in
    difficult economic times.
        We also ask that this subcommittee consider converting or rolling
    the Refuge Fund into the PILT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) program. Some
    refuge lands are included in PILT and others are included in the Refuge
    Fund. One funding mechanism for all refuge lands makes sense and would
    streamline the process of returning funds to local communities.
        The Refuge Association requests $50 million for the Refuge Fund. We
    also call for a review of the Refuge Revenue Sharing Act of 1935 as
    amended, and consideration of conversion to a Payment-in-Lieu of Taxes
    (PILT) program to be consistent with other Federal land management
    agencies and to provide Refuge communities with more equitable
    payments.
    partnerships--partners for fish and wildlife program (partners program)
        With 75 percent of all fish and wildlife species dependent upon
    private lands for their survival, the Partners Program is one of the
    most powerful tools for protecting wildlife where it lives. By building
    effective partnerships between public agencies and private landowners
    to conserve America's expansive working landscapes, the Partners
    Program has implemented nearly 29,000 restoration projects in the past
    25 years, restoring over one million acres of wetlands, three million
    acres of uplands, and 11,000 miles of streams. The Partners Program
    leverages Federal dollars, generating nearly $16 in economic return for
    every $1 appropriated for projects.
        The Refuge Association and the landowner-led Partners for
    Conservation request $75 million for fiscal year 2020. Such a funding
    level would result in an additional $400 million worth of conservation
    across the Nation.
                    fish and wildlife service grant programs
        The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), Neotropical
    Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA), and the State and Tribal
    Wildlife Grants (SWG) have been incredibly beneficial for national
    wildlife refuges.

      --The NAWCA program delivers an average 3:1 match for all Federal
            standard and small grants, and has restored wetlands on
            wildlife refuges across the Nation. The Refuge Association
            fully supports a return to this program's high water mark of
            $47.6 million.
      --The SWG program provides funding to State wildlife agencies for
            developing and implementing programs that benefit wildlife
            habitat for both hunted and non-hunted species. This funding is
            critical for research, wildlife surveys, species restoration,
            and habitat management on State lands, which all contribute to
            a system of healthy Federal and State lands. The States are
            essential partners to the Refuge System, and we support funding
            for this program of $75 million.
      --The NMBCA program protects neotropical bird species across the
            Americas, with $66 million in Federal grants having been
            matched by $250 million in partner funds. As wonderful as
            refuge lands are, wildlife conservation must also take place on
            State and private lands, as well as in other countries,
            particularly for migratory species. We support fiscal year 2020
            funding at $6 million for the NMBCA.

        We believe that with sound conservation policy, increased funding,
    and the power of more than 40,000 dedicated volunteers, the Refuge
    System can fulfill its mission to provide wildlife dependent recreation
    for Americans and protect the habitat for more than 700 species of
    birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species and
    more than 1,000 species of fish.
        We look forward to working with Congress to accomplish this goal
    and appreciate your consideration of our requests. Please let me know
    if you have any questions.
                                     ______

                Prepared Statement of the Native Village of Eyak
        The Native Village of Eyak makes the following requests and
    comments on the fiscal year 2020 Indian programs appropriations:

      --Bridge and Road Repair: Support the Tribe's efforts to repair the
            36-Mile Bridge and protect Copper River salmon runs
      --Section 105(1) Leases: Identify sufficient funding for healthcare
            facility leases under Section 105(1) of the Indian Self-
            Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA).
      --Contract Support Cost Funding: Continue to fund Contract Support
            Costs at 100 percent.
      --Advance Appropriations for IHS: Place IHS funding on an advance
            appropriations basis.
      --Subsidies for Telecommunications Connectivity: Continue to support
            Tribal telecommunications subsidies.
      --Tribal Courts: Fully fund BIA 638 compacts supporting Tribal
            courts.
      --Climate Change: Support the Tribe's efforts with grants to fund
            research to respond to climate change threats to the Tribe.
                                  introduction
        The Native Village of Eyak is a federally recognized Tribal
    government located in Cordova, Alaska, on the southeast shores of
    Prince William Sound in the North Gulf Coast. The Tribe is a co-signer
    to the Alaska Tribal Health Compact with the Indian Health Service
    (IHS) and operates a wide range of healthcare programs, including
    primary care services and behavioral health. The Tribe also has a self-
    governance compact under the ISDEAA with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
    The Native Village of Eyak focuses on self-determination and self-
    governance as a means of improving the lives and health of our Tribal
    citizens. We are not only responsible for providing quality, available
    healthcare services, but also for promoting opportunities and
    partnerships for our citizens, protecting our traditional land and
    natural resources, and for strengthening our culture.
                             bridge and road repair
        In 2011, erosion destroyed a portion of Bridge 339 (the ``36 Mile
    Bridge''), leading to the closure of the Copper River Highway which
    connects the communities in which our members live. The situation
    continues to decline, and a total failure of the bridge would be
    detrimental to the Copper River red and king salmon runs and to the
    water quality of the Copper River, which is of great significance to
    the Tribe. The repairs to the bridge and road will cost tens of
    millions of dollars, and we have been investigating our options to
    contribute to the repair. One option is a Better Utilizing Investments
    to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Grants. We understand
    that the BUILD program does not fall under this subcommittee's
    jurisdiction, but we appreciate you support in this and any other
    funding sources to help us reconnect our community and protect the
    Copper River.
                             section 105(l) leases
        Like many other Tribes, Eyak relies on section 105(l) leases to
    address our chronically underfunded facilities operation, maintenance,
    and replacement costs. We are gratified that IHS has been funding
    Section 105(l) leases for Tribal health clinics, as it was required to
    do by the Federal courts in the 2016 Federal court decision in Maniilaq
    v. Burwell, which held that section 105(l) of the ISDEAA provides an
    entitlement to full compensation for leases of Tribal facilities used
    to carry out ISDEAA agreements. We appreciate your supplemental
    appropriations in fiscal year 2019 to cover these costs, and we ask
    that funding continue to be made available for these important leases.
    This Committee has invited IHS to submit a report on the budget impact
    of meeting its responsibility. We stand with other Tribes to oppose any
    appropriations rider, such as those included in the administration's
    budget proposals for fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019, which would
    allow IHS to avoid its responsibility to compensate Tribes fully for
    these costs. We ask that Congress again decline to include such a
    provision in the fiscal year 2020 IHS appropriation.
                         contract support cost funding
        We appreciate the successful efforts of the House and Senate
    Interior appropriations subcommittees over the past several years
    supporting the full payment of Contract Support Costs (CSC) by both the
    IHS and the BIA. We are also very pleased that the administration has
    continued to request that CSC be maintained as a separate
    appropriations account in IHS and in BIA, and with an indefinite
    funding of ``such sums as may be necessary''. The full payment of CSC
    has been crucial to the strengthening of Tribal governments' ability to
    successfully exercise their rights and responsibilities as sovereign
    governments.
                         advance appropriations for ihs
        We are appreciative of the increased attention to the issue of
    advance appropriations for the IHS as evidenced by the legislation
    introduced by Ranking Member Udall and in the House by Representative
    Don Young and Interior Appropriations Chair McCollum and Ranking Member
    Joyce. The bills differ somewhat and address advance appropriations for
    IHS (placing it on the same schedule as veterans healthcare) and
    programs in the BIA and BIE/Predictability in our funding is very
    important for us as we endeavor to meet the healthcare needs of our
    community. As you know, when IHS funding is subject to a Continuing
    Resolution, as it has been over many years, Tribal healthcare providers
    like us receive only a portion of funding at a time, making it
    particularly difficult to implement long-range planning and to
    effectively use and leverage limited resources. Under advance
    appropriations, we would know our budget a year in advance which would
    resolve our budget uncertainty. The IHS budget should be treated the
    same way as VA health programs.
                 subsidies for telecommunications connectivity
        Eyak understands that the subcommittees do not directly control
    funding subsidies under the Federal Communications Commission and
    Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). Telecommunications
    Subsidies. But, as you know, Internet connectivity is critical to
    providing healthcare services to our remote villages. Last year you
    heard from us and other Tribes regarding the cap on Universal Service
    Rural Health Care funds. We appreciate your support in eliminating the
    cap last year, and efforts to stabilize the Universal Service Fund
    Rural Health Care program and make sure that our telehealth obligations
    to our community members remain fully funded.
                                 tribal courts
        As Tribes become partners within the corrections and court system
    in the State of Alaska, we have a need for more funding to adequately
    staff Tribal Courts and run optimal programs. We appreciate that
    Congress rejected the administration's proposal to zero out Tribal 280
    Court funds for fiscal year 2019, maintaining the $13 million level
    enacted in fiscal year 2018. Specifically, we would like a sustainable
    amount of Tribal Court funds to be recurring rather than one time funds
    that are applied for each year.
                                 climate change
        Eyak continues to experience weather and climate change. Rivers and
    lakes that used to freeze all winter freeze minimally or even stay
    open. Eyak is used to receiving 180 inches of rain on average per year
    and about 6 feet of snow annually. This rain and snowfall has decreased
    dramatically, which poses dangers to local hydropower, commercial
    fishing and the ability to have adequate drinking water. Increases in
    Natural Resources funding would allow our Tribe to implement research
    projects to study these changes and how they impact our natural
    lifestyle and determine how to respond. Respectfully,

        [This statement was submitted by Darrel Olsen, Tribal Council
    Chairman.]
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the Natural Science Collections Alliance
        The Natural Science Collections Alliance appreciates the
    opportunity to provide testimony in support of fiscal year 2020
    appropriations for the Smithsonian Institution and the Department of
    the Interior. We encourage Congress to make new investments that
    address agency backlogs in the preservation and curation of scientific
    and cultural collections within the Department of the Interior and the
    Smithsonian Institution. We request that Congress provide new funding
    to the National Museum of Natural History to correct for it being flat
    funded the past 2 years. We further request that Congress restore the
    $1.6 million in funding for the U.S. Geological Survey's Biological
    Survey Unit housed at the Smithsonian Institution.
        The Natural Science Collections Alliance is a non-profit
    association that supports natural science collections, their human
    resources, the institutions that house them, and their research
    activities for the benefit of science and society. Our membership
    consists of institutions that are part of an international network of
    museums, botanical gardens, herbaria, universities, and other
    institutions that contain natural science collections and use them in
    research, exhibitions, academic and informal science education, and
    outreach activities.
        Scientific collections, and the collections professionals and
    scientists who make, care for, and study these resources, are a vital
    component of our Nation's research infrastructure. Whether held at a
    museum, government managed laboratory or archive, or in a university
    science department, these scientific resources consist of data (for
    example, genetic, tissue, organism, and environmental) that are a
    unique and irreplaceable foundation from which scientists are studying
    and explaining past and present life on earth. Research results improve
    human health, enhance food security, and provide monitoring for
    responses to environmental change and species conservation.
        The institutions that care for scientific collections are important
    research centers that enable other scientists to study the basic data
    of life; conduct biological, geological, anthropological, and
    environmental research; and integrate research findings from across
    these diverse disciplines. Their professional staff members train
    future generations with the tools and expertise required to move
    science forward. In-house institutional staff expertise is vital to the
    development and deployment of this critical research infrastructure.
        According to the Federal Interagency Working Group on Scientific
    Collections, ``scientific collections are essential to supporting
    agency missions and are thus vital to supporting the global research
    enterprise.'' Preservation of specimens and the strategic growth of
    these collections are in the best interest of science and the best
    interest of taxpayers. Existing scientific collections that are
    properly cared for and accessible are a critical component of the U.S.
    science infrastructure and are readily integrated into new research on
    significant questions. Specimens that were collected decades or
    centuries ago are now routinely used in research in diverse fields
    related to genomics, human health, biodiversity sciences, informatics,
    environmental quality, and agriculture.
        The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History
    (NMNH) is a valuable Federal partner in the curation and research on
    scientific specimens. The scientific experts at the NMNH care for 140
    million specimens and ensure the strategic growth of this
    internationally recognized scientific research institution. To increase
    the availability of these scientific resources to researchers,
    educators, other Federal agencies, and the public, NMNH is working on a
    multi-year effort to digitize its collections. That effort will
    substantially increase the scientific uses of these collections.
        The National Museum of Natural History has also been working to
    strengthen curatorial and research staffing and to backfill positions
    left open by retirements and budget constraints. The current staffing
    level is insufficient to provide optimal care for the collections.
    Future curatorial and collections management staffing levels may be
    further jeopardized given funding cuts at science agencies, such as the
    USGS, that support staff positions at the National Museum of Natural
    History.
        Interior is an important caretaker of museum collections as well;
    the Department has an estimated 146 million items, comparable in size
    only to the Smithsonian Institution. Although many of the department's
    collections are located in bureau facilities, numerous artifacts, and
    specimens are also housed by non-governmental facilities, such as
    museums and universities.
        In addition, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) furthers
    the preservation, inventory, and digitization of geological scientific
    collections, such as rock and ice cores, fossils, and samples of oil,
    gas, and water. The National Geological and Geophysical Data
    Preservation program helps States with collections management, improves
    accessibility of collections data, and expands digitization of
    specimens to ensure their broader use. One example of the returns from
    this program is the potash mineral deposit discovered in Michigan that
    is valued at an estimated $65 billion. Rock samples from Michigan were
    entered into a national database, where private companies discovered
    the deposit's existence and are now assessing the potential for mining.
    USGS also supports the documentation and conservation of native
    pollinators through its Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab.
        The Biological Survey Unit consists of USGS scientists stationed at
    the National Museum of Natural History, where they curate and conduct
    research on USGS-specimens of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals that
    are curated at the NMNH. USGS has more than a million specimens of
    birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles that are housed at the
    Smithsonian. This arrangement goes back to 1889, but has been proposed
    for elimination by the administration. This is irresponsible. These
    specimens, data and the research they enable are required to inform
    Department of the Interior land and natural resource management
    decisions, and often also support decisionmaking by State and Tribal
    governments. We urge Congress to fund this valuable program at $1.6
    million and to direct the USGS to sustain this effort.
        The Bureau of Land Management has a large backlog of cultural
    resources to inventory on public lands. Currently, only 10 percent of
    public lands have been assessed for heritage resources. Such
    assessments need to be conducted before unique resources are lost to
    looting, vandalism, fire, or environmental change.
        The National Park Service must continue its investments in
    scientific collections, including cataloging millions of museum objects
    and connecting those databases to national and global data portals. The
    National Park Service curates a wide range of specimens and artifacts,
    from historical and cultural items to preserved tissues from protected
    species and living microorganisms collected in our National Parks.
    Several parks have made progress on addressing planning, environmental,
    storage, security, and fire protection deficiencies in museum
    collections, but much work remains. The President's budget request
    would undo past progress, with the percentage of museum collections in
    'good' condition decreasing from 75 percent in fiscal year 2014 to 69
    percent by the end of fiscal year 2019.
    Conclusion
        Scientific collections are critical infrastructure for our Nation's
    research enterprise and a national treasure. Research specimens connect
    us to the past, are used to solve current problems, and are helping to
    predict threats to human health, methods for ensuring food security,
    and the impact of future environmental changes. Sustained investments
    in scientific collections are in our national interest.
        The budget for NMNH has remained flat over the past 2 years. We
    urge Congress to provide NMNH with at least $53 million in fiscal year
    2020 to allow the museum to undertake critical collections care, make
    needed technology upgrades, and conduct cutting edge research. Please
    support adequate funding for the Department of the Interior's Capital
    Working Fund, as well as programs within Interior bureaus, such as the
    Biological Survey Unit, that support the preservation and use of
    scientific collections--a truly irreplaceable resource.
        Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this request.

        [This statement was submitted by John Bates, President.]
                                     ______

                  Prepared Statement of The Nature Conservancy
        Chairman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall and Members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to submit recommendations
    for fiscal year 2020 appropriations. The Nature Conservancy is an
    international, non-profit conservation organization working around the
    world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and
    people. Our mission is to conserve the lands and waters upon which all
    life depends.
        As we enter the fiscal year 2020 budget cycle and another year of a
    challenging fiscal environment, the Conservancy wishes to thank this
    subcommittee for the final fiscal year 2019 funding levels for
    conservation programs. Our budget recommendations this year reflect a
    balanced approach with funding levels consistent with fiscal year 2018
    and fiscal year 2019 funding levels. Of particular note, we wish to
    work with this subcommittee and the authorizing Committees on
    identifying a permanent funding solution for the Land and Water
    Conservation Fund. We strongly support the emphasis on funding for sage
    grouse conservation and urge Congress to continue support for ongoing
    sage grouse conservation efforts. We also support funding practical,
    innovative climate solutions to create an energy future that is
    cleaner, more secure and gives consumers more energy choices. Investing
    in nature brings strong returns for our security, the economy and our
    communities and families. The Conservancy is focused on supporting
    programs and investments that ensure economic and environmental
    benefits are enhanced today and made sustainable for tomorrow.
        The Conservancy would like to take the opportunity to thank the
    Committee for its long-standing support of the fire funding fix in the
    fiscal year 2018 Omnibus appropriations bill passed last year. The
    passage of this much-needed funding solution means that dollars
    appropriated by this committee to the fire management accounts of both
    the USDA Forest Service and Department of the Interior (DOI) can be
    used for their intended purposes and not be drained to fight
    catastrophic wildfires in upcoming fire seasons. Our forest management
    funding requests seek to reinvest savings resulting from a fire fix and
    would reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health and resilience.
        Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).--The fiscal year 2019
    Omnibus dedicated $435 million in discretionary appropriations for
    LWCF. The Fund has strong bipartisan support and the Conservancy
    appreciates Congress's commitment to funding important on-the-ground
    conservation and recreation projects. The Conservancy supports $600
    million in discretionary appropriations for LWCF for fiscal year 2020
    and looks forward to working with Congress to find a permanent funding
    solution for LWCF.
        Forest Legacy.--The Conservancy support $100 million for the Forest
    Legacy Program.
        Endangered Species.--The Conservancy supports continuing funding of
    at least $53 million for the Cooperative Endangered Species Fund
    consistent with fiscal year 2019 levels. This funding provides critical
    matching grants to States and territories for conservation and species
    recovery efforts on non-Federal lands. Further, we request your
    continued support for Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) funding,
    specifically HCP Land Acquisition Grants. The demand for HCP
    acquisition grants has significantly outpaced available resources in
    recent years.
        State and Tribal Wildlife Grants.--The Conservancy supports the
    fiscal year 2019 Omnibus funding level of $64.5 million for this
    program. Strong Federal investments are essential to ensure strategic
    actions are undertaken by State, Tribal and Federal agencies and the
    conservation community to conserve wildlife populations and their
    habitats and to prevent species from being listed as threatened or
    endangered.
        Wildlife Conservation Programs.--The variety of wildlife
    conservation programs conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
    (FWS) continue a long and successful tradition of supporting
    collaborative conservation in the United States and internationally. We
    urge the Committee to continue funding such established and successful
    programs as the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA),
    Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, the Migratory Bird Joint
    Ventures, FWS Migratory Bird Management Program and the FWS Coastal
    Program at no less than fiscal year 2019 Omnibus funding levels. We
    support, at a minimum, sustained funding for the Partners for Fish and
    Wildlife Program and the Cooperative Landscape Conservation and
    Adaptive Science programs. The latter will help support DOI in
    addressing large scale conservation challenges across all ownerships,
    supporting collaborative problem solving for some of our Nation's most
    challenging conservation issues. We also request strong funding for the
    National Fish Habitat Initiative.
        International Programs.--The international conservation programs
    appropriated annually within the Department of Interior are relatively
    small but are effective and widely respected. They encompass the FWS
    Multinational Species Conservation Funds, the FWS Wildlife Without
    Borders regional and global programs, and the U.S. National Park
    Service's International Program. We are requesting modest increases
    over fiscal year 2019 funding levels for these programs.
        National Wildlife Refuge System.--The Conservancy supports stronger
    funding for the Refuge System's Operations and Maintenance accounts.
    Found in every U.S. State and territory, national wildlife refuges
    conserve a diversity of America's environmentally sensitive and
    economically vital ecosystems, including oceans, coasts, wetlands,
    deserts, tundra, prairie, and forests. The Conservancy requests $586
    million for fiscal year 2020. This represents the funding necessary to
    maintain management capabilities for the Refuge System.
        Hazardous Fuels and Restoration.--Strategic, proactive hazardous
    fuels and restoration treatments have proven safer and more cost-
    effective in reducing risks to communities and forests by removing
    overgrown brush and trees, leaving forests in a more natural condition
    resilient to wildfires. The Conservancy recommends investing $500
    million in the USDA Forest Service's Hazardous Fuels program and $210
    million in the DOI's Fuels Management program, in addition to
    instructions for allocating funds to priority landscapes in both WUI
    and wildland settings. We also support increasing the CFLR program to
    $80 million to allow for new projects, Vegetation & Watershed
    Management to $210 million (carving out $20 million for ecological
    reforestation) and re-instating the Legacy Roads and Trails program at
    $50 million. Additionally, we request this Committee provide funding to
    establish the new Watersource Protection program, enacted in the 2018
    Farm Bill.
        Research and Joint Fire Science.--The USDA Forest Service's Forest
    and Rangeland Research program offers the scientific bases for policies
    that improve the health and quality of urban and rural communities.
    This program is vital for the long-term health and utility of our
    American forests and rivers. The Conservancy requests funding research
    at $315 million. We ask to also include $8 million for each the USDA
    Forest Service and DOI's Joint Fire Science programs, which have proven
    great success in supporting practical science that reduces fire risk
    and enhances economic, ecological and social outcomes nationwide.
        Sage Grouse Conservation.--The Conservancy requests continued
    investments to provide ongoing efforts to restore and conserve
    sagebrush habitat and the Greater Sage-grouse across Federal, State,
    Tribal and private lands. These resources are needed to implement on-
    the-ground projects and monitor habitat treatments, address rangeland
    fire and broader wildland fire prevention, suppression and restoration
    efforts, and facilitate the partnership and science necessary for
    effective conservation. Importantly, we ask that you remove language in
    Sec. 120 of the fiscal year 2019 Conference Report that bars the
    Service from proposing a rule to list the sage grouse under the
    Endangered Species Act (ESA). This language undercuts good faith
    conservation efforts by removing the critical backstop of a listing
    should conditions on the ground warrant such a step. The Bureau of Land
    Management (BLM) is facing perhaps the single most challenging effort
    in its history in conserving key sagebrush habitat, addressing
    identified threats to sage-grouse and promoting sustainable economic
    development across some 165 million acres in coordination with State
    and local managers and private land owners. We hope that all of our
    work together can avoid the need to list the sage grouse in the future
        BLM Land Management and Renewable Energy Development.--The
    Conservancy supports smart planning and management of public lands
    through implementation of Rapid Ecoregional Assessments, Resource
    Management Planning improvements, Regional Mitigation Planning,
    coordination with LCCs, and the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring
    Strategy. Many BLM programs contribute to these cross-cutting
    initiatives including: National Landscape Conservation System ($39.8
    million); Resource Management Planning program ($63.125 million); and
    the new Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Management budget line ($128.846
    million with $21.587 allocated to threatened and endangered species).
    Additionally, the Conservancy supports continued funding for BLM's
    renewable energy development program at the fiscal year 2018 Omnibus
    level of $28.3 million. Collectively, these efforts will help BLM
    manage its lands efficiently and effectively for energy development,
    species and habitat conservation, recreation, and other uses to
    maximize the public benefit from these lands.
        Environmental Protection Agency's Geographic Programs.--EPA's
    geographic programs, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative,
    Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound, Long Island Sound, and Gulf of Mexico
    programs, make a significant contribution to protecting habitat and
    water quality in the large landscapes where they work. These programs
    have a proven record of supporting the States' voluntary restoration
    efforts, and the Conservancy urges the Committee to continue the strong
    funding for these programs it allocated in fiscal year 2019.
        Colorado River Basin Recovery Programs.--The Upper Colorado River
    Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery
    Implementation Program take a balanced approach to recovering four
    endangered fish species in the Colorado River basin. The Upper Colorado
    and San Juan recovery programs are highly successful collaborative
    conservation partnerships involving the States of New Mexico, Colorado,
    Utah, and Wyoming, as well as Indian Tribes, Federal agencies, and
    water, power and environmental interests. These programs provide
    critically important ESA compliance for over 2,450 Federal, Tribal,
    State, and private water projects across the Upper Colorado River
    Basin. Through these efforts, water use and development have continued
    in growing Western communities in full compliance with the ESA, State
    water and wildlife laws, and interstate compacts. Implementation of the
    ESA has been greatly streamlined for Federal agencies, Tribes and water
    users. The Conservancy supports robust funding at FWS for the Colorado
    River Basin recovery programs, including recovery funds for both the
    Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan
    River Basin Recovery Implementation Program, as well as fish hatchery
    needs associated with the recovery plans.
        National Streamflow Network.--The National Streamflow Network
    provides continuous streamflow information at over 8,200 locations
    across the country and is managed within the U.S. Geological Survey's
    Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program. Water managers,
    scientists, and other decisions makers, including within the
    Conservancy, rely on data from the National Streamflow Network to plan
    for floods, droughts, and other extreme events; design infrastructure,
    including the operation of Federal reservoirs; facilitate energy
    generation; protect aquatic species and restore habitat; and manage
    Federal lands. The Conservancy supports funding in fiscal year 2020 to
    fully implement the National Streamflow Network.
        Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program.--Subtitle C of
    Title V of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014
    provides authority for low-cost credit that can leverage private
    investment for water infrastructure. The criteria include whether a
    project protects against extreme weather events or helps maintain the
    environment. The Conservancy appreciates the strong funding the
    Committee allocated to the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
    Program in fiscal year 2019 and urges continued support for it.
        Thank you for the opportunity to submit The Nature Conservancy's
    recommendations for the fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment and
    Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

        [This statement was submitted by Kameran Onley, Director of U.S.
    Government Relations.]
                                     ______

                   Prepared Statement of the Nez Perce Tribe
        Honorable Chairwoman and Members of the subcommittee, the Nez Perce
    Tribe (Tribe) provides the following recommendations as the Committee
    evaluates and prioritizes fiscal year 2020 appropriations, in relation
    to the needs of Tribal nations, for the Indian Health Service (IHS),
    Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
    U.S. Forest Service (FS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the
    Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Tribe wants to acknowledge and
    thank this subcommittee for its efforts to understand the needs of
    Indian Country and advocate for increased appropriations to the many
    programs in its jurisdiction that benefit the citizens, the Tribal
    governments, and all members of our communities. We are deeply grateful
    that the many funding increases to Tribal programs across the final
    fiscal year 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act will build on
    increases Congress provided in fiscal year 2017 and in fiscal year
    2018.
        Like any government, the Tribe performs a wide array of work and
    provides a multitude of services to its Tribal membership as well as
    the community at large. The Tribe has a health clinic; a Tribal police
    force; a social services department; and a comprehensive natural
    resources program that does work related to forestry, wildlife
    management, land services and land management, habitat restoration, air
    quality and smoke management, water quality and sewer service. The
    Tribe also operates one of the largest fisheries departments of any
    Tribe in the nation working on the recovery of listed species under the
    Endangered Species Act (ESA). Each of these programs is necessary and
    vital for the Tribe as a sovereign nation that preserves and protects
    the Treaty rights of the Nez Perce People and provides day-to-day
    governmental services to our members and surrounding communities.
        The Tribe has long been a proponent of self-determination for
    Tribes and believes our primary obligation is to protect the Treaty-
    reserved rights of the Tribe and our members. All of the Tribe's work
    is guided by this principle. The Tribe works extensively with many
    Federal agencies and proper funding for those agencies and their work
    with, for, and through Tribes is of vital importance. To accomplish
    this work, the U.S. must affirm its trust responsibility to Indian
    Tribes by properly funding programs. The Tribe supports the recent
    report of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Broken Promises, as well
    as the National Congress of American Indians' publication of Indian
    Country's fiscal year 2020 budget request, Winds of Change.
                            bureau of indian affairs
        The Tribe appreciates the $3.08 billion in overall funding for the
    BIA and Bureau of Indian Education in fiscal year 2019 and requests
    that this $17.5 million increase be maintained in fiscal year 2020. The
    Tribe also supports the indefinite appropriation for contract support
    costs and believes that at least the $247 million appropriated in
    fiscal year 2019 should be provided in fiscal year 2020. These costs
    should also be reclassified from discretionary to mandatory.
        In relation to the BIA Public Safety and Justice (PS&J) account,
    the Tribe advocates for maintaining at least the $411.5 million in
    funding for law enforcement that was enacted for that account in fiscal
    year 2019. The Nez Perce Reservation spans 1,200 square miles, covering
    five counties, and has a mixture of Tribal and non-Tribal residents.
    The Tribe provides a full-service law and justice program. The Tribe
    has a fully trained and staffed police force, a fully staffed Tribal
    court, a prosecutor, a public defender, and other personnel that
    perform related administrative functions. The Tribe received $953,214
    in base funding from PS&J in fiscal year 2017. Currently, the Tribe
    contributes $1,974,530 annually to cover the shortfall in BIA funding
    for the Tribe's law enforcement, $527,984 for judicial services/
    probation, $390,832 for prosecutorial services, $256,636 for public
    defender services, and $300,000 for prisoner boarding. This
    supplemental funding of nearly $3.5 million is derived from Tribal
    taxes on goods and fuel and Tribal gaming revenues that would otherwise
    be used for Tribal governmental services. Funding for these programs
    needs to be maintained and ultimately increased to account for
    shortfalls in funding the Tribe has to absorb in order to continue the
    operation of these important services on the Reservation.
        The Tribe requests total funding of $35 million be provided for
    scholarships and adult education and special higher education
    scholarships and that funding for the Johnson O'Malley program be
    substantially increased from the $14.9 million provided in fiscal year
    2019 to the level of $42 million that NCAI recommends. Johnson O'Malley
    program funding has remained static for many years resulting in the
    decrease of per student funding. The Tribe also supports $2.5 million,
    if not an increase, in funding for Tribal education departments along
    with increases for Tribal colleges and universities that support
    institutions like Northwest Indian College which operates a satellite
    campus on the Nez Perce Reservation.
        The Tribe also relies on the BIA for funding for our work related
    to endangered species and protection of the Tribe's Treaty resources,
    including Chinook and steelhead salmon. The funding is used to
    supplement research efforts of the Tribe relative to other sensitive
    species. The Tribe recommends a $1 million increase for the BIA
    Endangered Species Program. This account provides Tribes with technical
    and financial assistance to protect endangered species on trust lands.
    Also, the Tribe recommends an increase of $2.8 million for BIA Natural
    Resource Tribal Priority Allocations which will help increase Tribal
    land and management capabilities.
        In addition, the funding provided under the BIA Rights Protection
    Implementation account is critical to support the exercise of treaty-
    reserved, off-reservation hunting and fishing for Tribes. The Tribe
    supports, at a minimum, funding of $41.3million, the fiscal year 2019
    enacted level. BIA single-line dollars provide the foundation for core
    program administration and treaty rights protection activities, such as
    harvest monitoring. These efforts are central to the Tribe's fisheries
    management responsibilities as established by the Nez Perce Treaties of
    1855 and 1863 and further delineated in court decisions regarding
    implementation of hunting and fishing Treaty rights. It is important to
    understand that this funding is used for job creation.
        The Tribe also supports $15.3 million in funding for the BIA Fish,
    Wildlife and Parks. The Tribe, through our fisheries programs, has
    invested a significant amount of personnel and resources into the
    restoration of salmon. The States of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, as
    well as sports fisheries, directly benefit from this work. These
    programs have been successful with funding under the Tribal Management
    and Development Program which is critical for the Tribe's management of
    fish and wildlife. We recommend funding in the amount of $17 million
    for the Tribal Management and Development Program, a $5.3 million
    increase from fiscal year 2019.
                             indian health service
        The Tribe operates Nimiipuu Health, a healthcare clinic on the Nez
    Perce Reservation in Lapwai, Idaho, and its satellite facility located
    65 miles away in Kamiah, Idaho. Nimiipuu Health provides services to
    approximately 4,000 patients each year. Annually, this computes to
    40,000 medical provider visits which does not include pharmacy or
    laboratory visits. Our expenditure total of Federal funds in fiscal
    year 2018 was $16,403,788.97, an increase of $1.1 million from that in
    fiscal year 2017. Purchased/Referred Care (P/RC) costs for outpatient
    services in fiscal year 2018 totaled $4,340,402.73, an increase of
    $600,000 from fiscal year 2017.
        For fiscal year 2020, the Tribe recommends, at a minimum,
    continuing the $5.8 billion in funding enacted for IHS in fiscal year
    2019. This funding amount will allow Nez Perce and other Tribes to pay
    costs, maintain current services, and allows programs and facilities to
    keep up with medical and non-medical inflation and population growth.
    The Tribe appreciates the $2.1 million increase in funding for P/RC
    provided in fiscal year 2019 and recommends that this $964.8 million
    allocation be preserved or increased by up to $20 million to continue
    to meet the P/RC spending needs of Tribal health facilities.
        The Tribe supports $822.2 million for contract support costs in
    fiscal year 2020 and the inclusion of bill language to classify this
    appropriation as indefinite so that, if needed, additional funds may be
    provided as they were in fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019. The
    Tribe appreciates that Congress chose to fully fund contract support
    costs in fiscal year 2019--as it should, per any agreement. In
    addition, the Tribe supports reclassifying contract support costs for
    the BIA and IHS as mandatory and not discretionary. However, this
    change in funding should not be accomplished or be off-set by reducing
    other funding for these agencies that would adversely affect services
    or programs. This funding should not be reduced by excessive set-asides
    for administration. Finally, the Tribe recommends permanent, mandatory
    funding of the Special Diabetes Program at no less than $150 million
    per fiscal year.
     u.s. fish and wildlife service and u.s. forest service and bureau of
                                land management
        The Tribe relies heavily on funding sources within the FWS and the
    FS. First, the operations of Kooskia National Fish Hatchery are funded
    by FWS. The Tribe manages the hatchery pursuant to the terms of the
    Snake River Water Rights Act of 2004 (Act). FWS requires full funding
    for the operations of this important facility to ensure the U.S. meets
    its obligations under the Act. Second, the FWS-administered State and
    Tribal Wildlife Grants program is an important and cost-effective
    expenditure for the government and is one of the few sources of funds
    Tribes can tap into for wildlife research. Since 2005, we have received
    five such grants funding work on diverse issues such as gray wolf
    monitoring, bighorn sheep research, rare plant conservation, and Condor
    habitat research. Continued funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife
    Grant program will allow recipient Tribes to build capacity and
    maintain involvement in key conservation issues. The Tribe strongly
    urges this subcommittee to increase funding for these competitive
    grants to $66 million and increase the Tribal share from $4.2 million
    to $6.5 million.
        The Nez Perce Reservation and its usual and accustomed areas are
    rich in natural resources and encompass eleven national forests. The
    Tribe works closely with each forest's administration to properly
    manage its resources on behalf of the Tribe. These range from
    protecting and properly managing the products of the forest to
    providing habitat for the vast wildlife in each one such as elk, deer,
    bighorn sheep and wolves. Increased funding is necessary so that the FS
    can meet these trust obligations and continue to work with Tribes on a
    government-to-government basis without being hampered by lack of
    funding to fill positions. With regard to management of bighorn sheep,
    the Tribe would note the House Subcommittee for Interior appropriations
    has included report language to both the BLM and FS over the last
    several years that encourages research related to disease transmission
    between domestic sheep and bighorn sheep. The Tribe encourages this
    type of research mandate be restricted to laboratory settings and not
    be allowed to occur in the field where impact and harm would be more
    difficult to control. The bighorn sheep populations within the Tribe's
    aboriginal territories are too fragile and too important to be put at
    risk.
                        environmental protection agency
        The Tribe works closely with EPA on a large number of programs that
    are essential to the health and safety of the 18,000 Tribal and non-
    Tribal citizens residing within the Nez Perce Reservation and that also
    protect the Treaty-reserved resources of the Tribe that the U.S. has a
    trust obligation to preserve. These programs include: the Clean Water
    Act 106 Program; the Clean Water Act 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS)
    Pollution Prevention Program; the Indian General Assistance Program;
    the Tribal Brownfields Response Program; the Underground Storage Tank
    Program; the Delegation of Nez Perce Federal Implementation Plan; the
    Clean Air Act 103 Grant-Nez Perce Tribe Air Quality Project; and the
    EPA Region 10 Pesticide Circuit Rider Program. The Tribe currently
    implements over $1.5 million in programmatic funding under these
    programs. The Tribe recommends the Indian General Assistance Program be
    increased from $65.5 million to $75 million, the Tribal allocation
    under the Clean Water Act 106 program be increased by 20 percent, $13
    million for Tribal Air Quality Management, $87 million for the
    Brownfields Program and $13 million be provided in lieu of the percent
    cap on Tribal funding for NPS pollutant control.
        The Tribe requests the subcommittee fund the Columbia River Basin
    Restoration Program, authorized under the Water Infrastructure
    Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016, at no less than the $1 million
    provided to EPA in fiscal year 2019 but recommends that number be
    substantially increased.
        As you can see, the Tribe does a tremendous amount of work in a
    variety of areas. It is important that the U.S. continue to fund this
    work and uphold and honor its trust obligations to tribes. Thank you
    for the opportunity to testify today.
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
        Chair Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Honorable Members of the
    subcommittee, my name is Lorraine Loomis and I am Chair of the
    Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC). The NWIFC is comprised
    of the 20 Tribes in western Washington that are party to United States
    v. Washington, which upheld the Tribes' treaty-reserved right to
    harvest and manage natural resources on and off-reservation, including
    salmon and shellfish. On behalf of the NWIFC, we are providing
    testimony for the record on our natural resources management and
    environmental program funding requests for the Bureau of Indian Affairs
    (BIA), Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) and Environmental Protection
    Agency (EPA) fiscal year 2020 appropriations. These programs support
    Tribes to carry out their natural resource management responsibilities
    including the management of Pacific salmon fisheries, which contribute
    to a robust natural resource-based economy and the continued exercise
    of Tribal treaty rights.
              summary of fiscal year 2020 appropriations requests
    Bureau of Indian Affairs
      --Provide $57.105 million for Rights Protection Implementation
            (collective request)
        --Provide $17.146 million for Western Washington Fisheries
                Management
        --Provide $3.423 million for Washington State Timber-Fish-Wildlife
        --Provide $5.96 million for U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty
        --Provide $2.4 million for Salmon Marking
        --Provide $4.5 million for Evaluation and Research Activities--
                Climate
      --Provide $15.0 million for Fish, Wildlife & Parks Projects (non-TPA)
      --Provide $830,000 for the Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Inventory and
            Assessment Program within the Tribal Management/Development
            Program Subactivity
      --Fully Fund Contract Support Costs
      --Provide $2.0 million for Western Washington Treaty Tribes' Wildlife
            Management
      --Provide $30.355 million for Tribal Climate Resilience
    Fish & Wildlife Service
      --Provide $8.0 million for Tribal Wildlife Grants
    Environmental Protection Agency
      --Provide $96.4 million for Tribal General Assistance Program
      --Provide $50.0 million for Puget Sound Geographic Program
    Multiple Agency Request
      --Provide $1.2 million for an Automatic Salmon Fin Clipping and
            Tagging Trailer
                           justification of requests
    Bureau of Indian Affairs
      --Provide $57.105 million for BIA Rights Protection Implementation
            Subactivity
             The 41 Tribes in the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest with
    similar treaty-reserved rights have collectively identified that no
    less than $52.0 million for Rights Protection Implementation (RPI) is
    necessary to support essential Tribal treaty-reserved resource
    management. The NWIFC has also identified an additional need of $4.5
    million for RPI Climate Change plus increases to meet new Pacific
    Salmon Treaty commitments, which brings our total request for RPI to
    $57.105 million; $16.832 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted
    level of $40.273 million. A summary of the accounts of interest to us
    within RPI are further identified below. However, please note that a
    breakdown of these accounts for fiscal year 2019 is not provided in the
    Indian Affairs Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Justification.
          -- Provide $17.146 million for BIA Western Washington Fisheries
                Management
                 We respectfully request $17.146 million; an increase of
    $6.47 million over the fiscal year 2018 enacted level of $10.676
    million. Funding for this program supports the Tribes to co-manage
    their treaty-reserved resources with the State of Washington, and to
    continue to meet court mandates and legal responsibilities. For
    example, funding supports harvest planning, population assessments,
    data gathering for finfish, shellfish, groundfish, and other natural
    resource management needs.
          -- Provide $3.423 million for BIA Washington State Timber-Fish-
                Wildlife (TFW)
                 We respectfully request $3.423 million, which would
    maintain the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Funding for this program
    is provided to improve forest practices on State and private lands,
    while providing protection for fish, wildlife and water quality. This
    funding supports the Tribes' participation in the Timber, Fish and
    Wildlife Agreement--a collaborative intergovernmental and stakeholder
    process between the State, industry and Tribes.
          -- Provide $5.96 million for BIA U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon
                Treaty
                 We respectfully request $5.96 million; an increase of
    $605,000 over the fiscal year 2018 enacted level of $5.355 million to
    implement the newly revised Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) agreement. The
    Pacific Salmon Treaty Act of 1985 charges the Pacific Salmon Commission
    (PSC) with the responsibility to implement the bilateral treaty with
    Canada. Tribes assist the U.S. Federal Government in meeting its
    obligations to implement the treaty by participating in fisheries
    management exercises including cooperative research and data gathering
    activities. This funding supports Tribes' participation in the PSC and
    the bilateral PST process.
          -- Provide $2.4 million for BIA Salmon Marking
                 We respectfully request $2.4 million; an increase of
    $1.063 million over the fiscal year 2018 enacted level of $1.337
    million. Since 2003, Congress has required that all salmon released
    from federally funded hatcheries are marked for conservation management
    purposes and has provided funding to do so. This funding allows Tribes
    to mark salmon at Tribal hatcheries and to use these marked fish to
    scientifically monitor salmon populations in western Washington.
          -- Provide $4.5 million for BIA Evaluation and Research
                Activities--Climate
                 We respectfully request $4.5 million for Evaluation and
    Research Activities--Climate for our member Tribes. The BIA did not
    fund this program in fiscal year 2018, despite many successful Tribal
    projects and programs in fiscal year 2016 and 2017. Funding for this
    program will provide Tribes the capacity to identify, respond and adapt
    to the impacts of our changing climate.
      --Provide $15.0 million for BIA Fish, Wildlife & Parks Projects (Non-
            TPA) for Hatchery Operations and Maintenance
             We respectfully request $15.0 million for Hatchery Operations
    and Maintenance within the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Projects account;
    an increase of $5.067 million over the $9.933 million provided for
    these programs in fiscal year 2018. More specifically, we request $8.0
    million for Hatchery Operations and $7.0 million for Hatchery
    Maintenance. This funding is provided to Tribal hatcheries to support
    the rearing and releasing of salmon and steelhead for harvest by Indian
    and non-Indian fisheries in the U.S. and Canada. Without hatcheries,
    Tribes would lose their most basic ceremonial and subsistence fisheries
    that are central to our Tribal culture. Hatcheries also support
    economically significant commercial and recreational fisheries and
    assist with recovering Endangered Species Act-listed salmon stocks.
      --Provide $830,000 for BIA Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Inventory and
            Assessment Program (SSHIAP) within the Tribal Management/
            Development Program (TMDP)
             We respectfully request $830,000 within the TMDP for SSHIAP;
    an increase of $475,000 over the fiscal year 2018 enacted level of
    $355,000. SSHIAP is a vital program to the western Washington Tribes
    because it provides essential environmental data management, analysis,
    sharing and reporting to support Tribal natural resource management. It
    also supports our Tribes' ability to participate in watershed resource
    assessments and salmon recovery work.
      --Fully Fund BIA Contract Support Costs
             We respectfully request that Congress fully fund Contract
    Support Costs. We also support the reclassification of Contract Support
    Costs as mandatory funding. Funding for this function ensures Tribes
    and Tribal organizations have the capacity to manage Federal programs
    under self-determination contracts and self-governance compacts.
      --Provide $2.0 million for Western Washington Treaty Tribes' Wildlife
            Management
             We respectfully request $2.0 million for western Washington
    treaty Tribes' wildlife management programs from an account within the
    Bureau of Indian Affairs Trust--Natural Resources Management Activity.
    The treaty Tribes, as co-managers of the wildlife resource, work
    cooperatively with the State of Washington and others to manage
    wildlife. Requested funding will support the development of wildlife
    management plans, development and enhancement of Tribal hunting codes,
    the design and implementation of applied research projects, and
    capacity to participate in State-Tribal co-management forums. These
    capabilities are necessary to help protect Tribes' treaty-reserved
    rights and resources.
      --Provide $30.355 million for BIA Tribal Climate Resilience
             We respectfully request $30.355 million; an increase of
    $20.399 million over the fiscal year 2019 enacted levels of $9.956
    million. Funding for this program will support Tribes to participate in
    climate change issues that impact treaty-reserved resources, as well as
    promote resiliency to change.
    Fish & Wildlife Service
      --Provide $8.0 million for FWS Tribal Wildlife Grants
             We respectfully request $8.0 million for the nationwide Tribal
    Wildlife Grants program; an increase of $3.791 million over the fiscal
    year 2019 enacted of $4.209 million. Funding from this competitive
    grant program supports the conservation of wildlife and their habitat,
    including species that are culturally or traditionally important to
    Tribes.
    Environmental Protection Agency
      --Provide $96.4 million for EPA Tribal General Assistance Program
            (GAP)
             We respectfully request $96.4 million; an increase of $30.924
    million over the fiscal year 2019 enacted level of $65.476 million. We
    also respectfully request: (1) accompanying bill or report language
    that would improve flexibility in the GAP to ensure individual Tribal
    priorities and implementation activities would be eligible; and (2)
    $5.0 million for a regional pilot project that would demonstrate how
    flexibility to implement individual Tribal priorities through a self-
    governance model can benefit Tribes, EPA and the environment. The GAP
    builds Tribal program capacity to begin to address environmental
    issues, which impact Tribes' health, safety, and treaty-reserved
    resources.
      --Provide $50.0 million for EPA Puget Sound Geographic Program
             We respectfully request $50.0 million; an increase of $22.0
    million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level of $28.0 million. This
    Geographic Program provides essential funding that will help protect
    and restore Puget Sound--an estuary of national significance. Funding
    for this program is essential for Tribes because it supports our
    participation in a broad range of Puget Sound recovery work, including,
    scientific research, resource recovery planning, and policy discussions
    that affect our treaty rights.
    Multiple Agency Request
      --Provide $1.2 million for an Automatic Salmon Fin Clipping and
            Tagging Trailer
             We respectfully request $1.2 million for an automatic salmon
    fin clipping and tagging trailer. The NWIFC uses automated trailers to
    provide effective and efficient centralized services to our 20-member
    Tribes. Our services help the Tribes meet Federal salmon marking
    requirements and generate essential data to support fisheries
    management (coded wire tags). An increasing demand for these important
    services exceeds our current capacity. An additional automatic trailer
    is needed to ensure we meet the requirements of salmon marking and
    tagging at Tribal hatcheries. This request is part of the new Pacific
    Salmon Treaty agreement but the details regarding which agency or
    account should fund the request is unknown.
                                   conclusion
        We respectfully urge the subcommittee to continue to support our
    efforts to protect and restore treaty-reserved resources and the
    communities and economies dependent upon them. We greatly appreciate
    your attention to our requests and we thank you for your continued
    commitment to Tribes.
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
        Greetings Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall, and
    Members of the subcommittee. My name is Andy Joseph, Jr., and I serve
    as Vice Chair on the Colville Business Council, as a Co-Chair of the
    IHS National Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup, and as Chairman of
    the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB). I thank you
    for the opportunity to provide testimony on the fiscal year 2020 Indian
    Health Service (IHS) budget.
        Established in 1972, the NPAIHB is a Tribal organization
    established under the Indian Self-Determination and Education
    Assistance Act (ISDEAA), Public Law 93-638, advocating on behalf of the
    43 federally-recognized Indian Tribes in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
    on specific healthcare issues. NPAIHB operates the Northwest Tribal
    Epidemiology Center (NWTEC) and a variety of important health programs
    on behalf of our member Tribes and national programs that serve Indian
    Country. For 28 years, NPAIHB has conducted an annual detailed analysis
    of the IHS budget.\1\ It is an honor to present you with our
    recommendations for fiscal year 2020.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ NPAIHB Resource Library, available at: http://www.npaihb.org/
    resource-lib/ (last visited Feb. 26, 2019).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 fiscal year 2019 enacted level funding for ihs
        In fiscal year 2019, IHS received an overall increase of $162
    million or 3.4 percent above fiscal year 2018 enacted level for program
    and services, not including indefinite appropriation for Contract
    Support Costs (CSC) of $104 million. I would like to thank the Senate
    for its support of the Community Health Representative program, Health
    Education and Tribal Management Grants in fiscal year 2019. In our
    annual analysis for fiscal year 2019, we determined that a $268 million
    increase was needed above fiscal year 2018 enacted level to cover
    population growth and medical inflation for current services (not
    including CSC).\2\ The final appropriated amount for fiscal year 2019
    fell short by $106 million. The IHS budget has not received adequate
    annual increases, with a few exceptions, to maintain the costs of
    current services (inflation, population growth, and pay act increases).
    The consequence of this is that the IHS budget is diminished and IHS
    and Tribal health programs purchasing power has continually been eroded
    over the years.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ NPAIHB, Fiscal Year 2019 Indian Health Service Budget: Analysis
    and Recommendations--28th Annual Report, http://www.npaihb.org/
    resource-lib/ (last visited Feb. 26, 2019).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 recommendation: maintain current ihs services
        The fundamental budget principle for Northwest Tribes is that the
    basic healthcare program must be preserved by Congress. Preserving the
    IHS base program by funding the current level of health services should
    be a basic budget principle by Congress. Otherwise, unmet needs will
    never be addressed. We estimate for fiscal year 2020 that in order to
    maintain current services a minimum of $195 million over fiscal year
    2019 enacted level is needed to cover medical inflation and population
    growth. Unfortunately, IHS and Tribal health programs will suffer
    consequences if IHS appropriations do not include inflation, population
    growth and pay act increases. For fiscal year 2020, NPAIHB recommends
    that IHS be funded at least $195 million to cover population growth and
    medical inflation to maintain current services with commitment that
    appropriate program increases be designated for IHS and Tribal health
    programs and not reprogramed for other purposes by IHS.\3\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ RADM Michael D. Weahkee, Letter on decision to reprogram a
    portion of fiscal year 2018 funding (Sept. 14, 2018), https://
    www.ihs.gov/newsroom/includes/themes/responsive2017/
    display_objects/documents/2018_Letters/DTLL_DUIOLL_ISDEAA_09142018.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
          recommendation: full funding for ihs phased in over 12 years
        Tribal leaders on the National Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup
    (Workgroup), representing all 12 IHS areas, provide recommendations on
    the IHS budget annually through the IHS Budget Formulation process. As
    I mentioned above, I serve as a co-Chair of the Workgroup and am the
    Portland Area representative. The Workgroup provided recommendations
    for fiscal year 2020 requesting an end to the growing health
    disparities by fully funding IHS phased in over 12 years.\4\ This
    recommendation is supported across Indian Country as a recommendation
    that honors treaty and trust obligations of the United States to
    provide healthcare to Indian people. Consistent with the Workgroup's
    recommendation, NPAIHB recommends that IHS be funded at $7 billion for
    fiscal year 2020 to implement phased in full funding for IHS.\5\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ National Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup Recommendation,
    Fiscal Year 2020 Summary Recommendations, https://www.nihb.org/
    legislative/budget_formulation.php (last visited May 17, 2019).
        \5\ Id.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     recommendation: advance appropriations
        The recent partial government shutdown caused undue hardship to AI/
    AN people in the Northwest--from Federal employees not being able to
    put food on their tables to reduced patient access to care due to
    clinics cutting their hours. Some Northwest Tribes were considering
    closing their clinics due to lack of funding. This is unconscionable
    treatment of AI/AN people and must not be repeated in the future. For
    these reasons and in recognition of the trust and treaty obligations,
    NPAIHB requests support for Advance Appropriations.
      recommendation: indefinite appropriation for isdeaa section 105(l)
                                  lease costs
        Section 105(l) of ISDEAA requires IHS, upon Tribal request, to
    enter into a lease for a facility owned or leased by the Tribe or
    Tribal organization and used to carry out its ISDEAA agreement. As
    established in the Maniilaq case, IHS must compensate the Tribe or
    Tribal organization fully for its reasonable facility expenses under
    Section 105(l) of ISDEAA.\6\ IHS's reprogramming of inflation increases
    to pay the lease costs negatively impacts our IHS and Tribal
    facilities. IHS/Tribal facilities rely on inflation increases to
    maintain current services. Unless additional funding is provided in the
    IHS appropriation, then the additional funds required to fund 105(l)
    leases will come at the expense of the health of our people with cuts
    in services for both direct service and self-governance Tribes. NPAIHB
    recommends that Congress fund ISDEAA Section 105(l) lease costs as an
    indefinite appropriation.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ See Maniilaq Ass'n v. Burwell, 170 F. Supp. 3d 243 (D.D.C.
    2016).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   other recommendations for fiscal year 2020
        Oppose Funding Cuts Proposed in President's Fiscal Year 2020 Budget
    Request. NPAIHB opposes the President's proposed recommendations for
    several critical programs, including: $39 million cut to Community
    Health Representatives (CHRs); elimination of Health Education funding
    (funded at $20.5 million in fiscal year 2019); elimination of Tribal
    Management funding (funded at $2.4 million in fiscal year 2019); $2.5
    million cut to Urban Indian Health of $2.5 million; $14 million cut to
    the Indian Health Professions (funded at $57.3 million in fiscal year
    2019); cut of $1 million to Self-Governance; and cut of $657 thousand
    to Environmental and Facilities.
        Fund Clinical Services-Electronic Health Record System in the
    amount of $25 million. NPAIHB recognizes there will need to be a
    substantial investment in information technology (IT) infrastructure
    and software in order for IHS to transition to another system. For
    fiscal year 2020, NPAIHB supports the President's request for $25
    million to fund ``Electronic Health Record System'' planning, phased-in
    replacement, and technical assistance of IHS RPMS. NPAIHB also requests
    that activities be directed by Tribes through ongoing Tribal
    consultation.
        Fund Elimination of HIV and HCV in the amount of $25 million. It is
    estimated that there are at least 40,000 AI/AN people, served by IHS,
    with a current Hepatitis C infection, according to the IHS National
    Data Warehouse. For fiscal year 2020, we support the President's
    request for funding to Eliminate HIV and Hepatitis C in the amount of
    $25 million as an initial step to phased in funding, estimated at over
    $300 million to treat all AI/AN people within the IHS system.
        Fund Expansion of Community Health Aide Program for a minimum of
    $20 million. In the past few years, NPAIHB has been at the forefront,
    with Portland Area Tribes, to get Northwest Tribal members trained in
    Dental Health Aide Therapy (DHAT) in Alaska and placed in Oregon,
    Washington and Idaho (this fall). NPAIHB has also been planning for and
    is in the process of establishing a Community Health Aide Program
    (CHAP) certification board; creating and implementing an education
    program for Behavioral Health Aides (BHAs); and implementing a Dental
    Therapy Education Program in partnership with a local community
    college, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and Seattle Indian
    Health Board. An IHS interim CHAP policy is currently out for Tribal
    consultation (closes June 7) and is expected to allow Areas the ability
    to move forward with CHAP implementation. NPAIHB supports the
    President's request of $20 million for CHAP but more funding is needed.
    NPAIHB does not support the proposed cut to the CHR program to fund
    expansion of the CHAP program. Both programs should be fully funded.
        Increase Dental Health by $20 million. AI/AN people have a higher
    prevalence of dental caries and untreated tooth decay in all age groups
    compared to the general United States population, with many AI/AN
    children experience high rates of dental caries between the ages of 2
    to 5.\7\ For fiscal year 2020, NPAIHB recommends an increase of $20
    million to Dental Services to address the growing oral health needs and
    dental professional shortage in Indian Country.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \7\ Phipps KR and Ricks TL, The oral health of American Indian and
    Alaska Native adult dental patients: results of the 2015 IHS oral
    health survey, Indian Health Service data brief, 2016.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Increase Mental Health by $152.5 million. NPAIHB is particularly
    concerned about the mental health of our AI/AN children and youth.
    Suicide is the second leading cause of death for AI/AN adolescents and
    young adults. AI/AN suicide mortality in this age group (10-29) is 2-3
    greater than that for non-Hispanic whites. For fiscal year 2020, NPAIHB
    recommends $75 million to expand funding for pilot projects for
    aftercare services for Native youth discharged from residential
    substance use treatment. More Youth Residential Treatment Centers and
    Tribes must be funded to develop approaches to aftercare, recovery, and
    other support services for Native youth that can be used across other
    IHS/Tribal facilities, YRTCs and in Tribal communities. An additional
    $75 million is needed to expand the Special Behavioral Health Pilot
    Program for Indians, appropriated $10 million in fiscal year 2019.
    However, NPAIHB recommends the option for Tribal shares instead of
    grant awards. Lastly, $2.5 million is needed to fund Area Health
    Boards/Tribal Epidemiology Centers for the provision of technical
    assistance to Tribes and to collect and evaluate Special Behavioral
    Health Pilot Program.
        Increase Alcohol and Substance Abuse by $152.5 million. Alcohol and
    substance abuse, particularly among our AI/AN children and young
    adults, continues to be one of the highest priorities identified by
    Tribal leaders and Health Directors in the Portland Area and across
    Indian Country. For fiscal year 2020, NPAIHB recommends $25 million to
    expand funding for pilot projects for aftercare services for Native
    youth discharged from residential substance use treatment; $75 million
    to expand the Special Behavioral Health Pilot Program for Indians, with
    an option for Tribal shares; $2.5 million to fund Area Health Boards/
    Tribal Epidemiology Centers for the provision of technical assistance
    to Tribes and to collect and evaluate Special Behavioral Health Pilot
    Program; and $50 million to fund critical detoxification and recovery
    services.
        Increase Purchased and Referred Care (PRC) by $50 million. Without
    IHS/Tribal hospitals in the Portland Area, Northwest Tribes rely on the
    PRC program for all specialty and inpatient care. Because of this, the
    PRC program makes up over one-third of the Portland Area budget and
    when less than adequate inflation and population growth increases are
    provided, Portland Area Tribes are forced to cut health services to
    absorb these mandatory costs. The level funding of PRC in fiscal year
    2016 further diminished the purchasing power of Portland Area Tribes.
    Those IHS areas that have inpatient care can absorb PRC funding
    shortfalls more easily than PRC dependent areas with their larger size
    staffing packages and infrastructure. For fiscal year 2020, NPAIHB
    recommends a program increase of $50 million for Purchased and Referred
    Care (PRC).
        Increase Indian Health Professions by $10 million. Given the
    recruitment and retention issues of healthcare providers in many of our
    Northwest Tribal communities, NPAIHB passed a resolution supporting an
    increase for Indian Health Professions to fully fund scholarships for
    all qualified applicants to the IHS Scholarship Program and to support
    the Loan Repayment Program to fund all physicians, nurse practitioners,
    physician's assistants, nurses and other direct care practitioners
    (NPAIHB Resolution 18-03-07). For fiscal year 2020, NPAIHB requests a
    program increase of $10 million for Indian Health Professions.
        No Increase to New Healthcare Facilities Construction But Increase
    Small Ambulatory Program (SAP) by $25 million and Increase Joint
    Venture Construction Program (JVCP). The 2016 IHS/Tribal Health Care
    Facilities Needs Assessment Report to Congress stated that the current
    Priority List will not be complete until 2041 and at the current rate
    of construction appropriations and the replacement timeline, a new 2016
    facility would not be replaced for 400 years. Many Tribes and Tribal
    organizations have had to assume substantial debt to build or renovate
    clinics for AI/AN people to receive IHS-funded healthcare. For these
    reasons, NPAIHB does not support funding for new Health Care Facilities
    Construction until the current funding mechanism is changed. NPAIHB
    recommends that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) be
    instructed to review and issue a report on the IHS Facilities
    Construction Priority System, including historical and current funding
    distribution inequities. (NPAIHB/CRIHB Joint Res No. 17-04-12). In
    addition, for fiscal year 2020, NPAIHB recommends a program increase of
    $25 million for the Small Ambulatory Program (SAP) with funding for
    staffing packages; and increased funding for the Joint Venture
    Construction Program (JVCP).
        Thank you for this opportunity to provide recommendations on the
    fiscal year 2020 IHS budget. I invite you to visit our Area and look
    forward to working with the subcommittee on our requests.\8\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \8\ For more information, please contact Laura Platero, NPAIHB, at
    lplatero@npaihb.org.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     ______

                      Prepared Statement of OPERA America
        Madam Chair and distinguished members of the subcommittee, I am
    grateful for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of OPERA
    America, its Board of Directors and its more than 2,000 organizational
    and individual members. We strongly urge the Subcommittee on Interior,
    Environment, and Related Agencies in the Committee on Appropriations to
    designate a total of $167.5 million to the National Endowment for the
    Arts (NEA) for fiscal year 2020. This testimony and the funding
    examples described below are intended to highlight the importance of
    Federal investment in the arts, so critical to sustaining a vibrant
    cultural community throughout the country.
    The NEA is a great investment in the economic growth of every
            community.
        The NEA was established in 1965 with the mission to ``strengthen
    the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans
    with diverse opportunities for arts participation.'' It has continued
    to meet this mission for over 50 years, recommending more than 2,300
    grants in every Congressional District in the country in fiscal year
    2018. Sixty-five percent of direct grants went to small (budgets under
    $500,000) and medium sized (budgets between $500,000 and $2 million)
    organizations. Additionally, 40 percent of NEA-supported activities
    took place in high-poverty neighborhoods and 36 percent of NEA grants
    reached underserved populations, such as people with disabilities and
    veterans. Between 2012 and 2015, NEA-supported programs reached 24.2
    million adults and 3.4 children on average each year through 80,603
    live events.
        Funding from the NEA continues to support arts organizations and
    their communities by providing a high return on investment. The ratio
    of private and other public funds matching every NEA grant dollar is
    approaching 9:1, generating more than $500 million in matching
    supporting.
        Before the establishment of the NEA, funding for the arts was
    mostly limited to larger cities. The NEA is the only arts funder in
    America, public or private, that supports the arts in all 50 States,
    the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Additionally, 40
    percent of the NEA's program funds are distributed through State arts
    agencies, reaching tens of thousands throughout the U.S. NEA funding
    provides access to the arts in regions with histories of
    inaccessibility due to economic or geographic limitations.
        At the national level, the arts and cultural sector contributed
    $763.6 billion to the U.S. economy in 2015, 4.2 percent of the GDP, and
    counted 4.9 million workers who earned $372 billion in total
    compensation. The tax-exempt performing arts organizations contributed
    $9 billion to the U.S. economy and employed 90,000 workers, who earned
    $5.6 billion in total compensation. Consumers spent $31.6 billion on
    admissions to performing arts events.
    Opera's increasing civic practice supports healthy and vibrant
            communities.
        Opera companies are finding new and exciting ways to bring the
    essence of opera to other local theaters, community centers, and public
    spaces outside traditional opera houses, frequently with new and
    innovative works that reflect the diverse communities of the cities
    they serve. Strong partnerships with local schools extend the civic
    reach of opera companies as they introduce children to a multi-media
    art form and discover promising young talent.
        Founded in 1970, OPERA America is national service organization for
    opera and the Nation's leading champion for American opera. OPERA
    America's membership includes 157 professional member companies in the
    United States, located in 41 States and the District of Columbia.

      --Economic Impact: In fiscal year 2016, budgets of OPERA America's
            member organizations totaled $1.1 billion, including both
            personnel and non-personnel expenses. As 501(c)(3) nonprofit
            organizations, opera companies depend on support from private
            philanthropy and governmental sources. In fiscal year 2016,
            private support totaled $510 million, representing 47 percent
            of total operating income; while total city, county, State, and
            Federal Government support comprised 7 percent of total
            operating income.
             According to data compiled by the NEA and the Bureau of
    Economic Analysis' U.S. Arts and Culture Production Satellite Account,
    revenues from opera companies totaled $955 million, suggesting that
    opera companies account for roughly 9 percent of the value added by
    tax-exempt performing art companies. OPERA America's members employed a
    total of 2,551 full-time, 8,119 part-time, and 18,698 contract staff in
    2017.

      --Communities Served: Opera audiences are growing more diverse. From
            2008-2012, the percentage of African-American attendees
            increased by 59 percent; and attendance by Latino audiences
            increased by 8.3 percent. During those same years, audience
            members in the 18-24 age bracket grew by 43.2 percent and those
            in the 25-34 age bracket grew by 33.8 percent.

      --Opera Works: Much of the success of opera's increasing audience is
            the result of the creation of new works, telling uniquely
            American stories. Since 1900, over 1,000 new operatic works
            have been produced in North America, with more than 600 operas
            premiering between 1995 and 2017. In the 2016-2017 season
            alone, 30 North American operas premiered.

        The two most frequently produced American operas in 2016-2017 were:
    As One, a chamber opera, depicting the experiences of its sole
    transgender protagonist as she endeavors to resolve the discord between
    herself and the outside world; and Dead Man Walking, based on the book
    of the same name by Sister Helen Prejean. In fact, As One is among the
    most produced operas in the U.S., in a list that includes Carmen, La
    boheme, The Magic Flute, and Rigoletto.
                               nea grants at work
        NEA grants are awarded to opera organizations through its core
    programs: Art Works; Challenge America Fast Track Grants; and Federal/
    State Partnerships. In fiscal year 2018, the NEA awarded 63 grants to
    the opera field through the Art Works category, totaling $1,905,000.
        OPERA America received an Art Works Grant to support programs and
    services for the entire field of opera in addition to an Our Town grant
    to help build opera companies' capacity to increase the scope and
    intensity of their civic practice. In the second iteration of this
    grant, OPERA America is bringing communities together across the U.S.
    to share best practices for developing authentic community
    relationships and serving as reliable civic partners.

        Below are just a few examples of noteworthy opera initiatives in
    the U.S.:
    Sarasota Opera
    Sarasota, Florida
    $20,000
        Sarasota Opera received support for the Sarasota Youth Opera's
    production of ``The Little Sweep,'' by composer Benjamin Britten. Set
    in the early 1800s, the opera tells the story of Sam, a young chimney
    sweep who is befriended by the children of an upper-class family.
    During the course of the opera, the children help Sam escape from his
    life as an indentured servant while learning more about the world
    beyond their comfortable surroundings. Originally conceived with a
    prologue by the composer, for this production the company will perform
    a newly created prologue and will alter the story location from England
    to Boston. The opera will be performed with chamber orchestra, fully
    staged, and will include full production values including sets,
    lighting, wigs, and make-up. Members of the year-round program are part
    of the company's mainstage productions, sing in the choral program, and
    perform in the annual youth opera.
    Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
    Saint Louis, Missouri
    $90,000
        Opera Theatre of Saint Louis received support for the commission,
    development, and premiere of ``Fire Shut Up In My Bones,'' by composer
    Terence Blanchard and librettist Kasi Lemmons. The full-length opera,
    based on the memoir of New York Times columnist Charles Blow, portrays
    the author's childhood in Gibsland, Louisiana, where life was a daily
    economic struggle. The story addresses issues of loneliness, violence,
    sexuality, and making choices. Relating the author's challenges with
    abuse at the hand of a family member, the opera is the story of a man
    who is struggling to belong and desperate to find another life. The
    music of the opera incorporated gospel and blues choruses, Louisiana
    blues and jazz, and dance. As many as six performances will occur at
    the Loretto-Hilton Center in summer 2019.
    Opera Memphis
    Memphis, Tennessee
    $25,000
        Opera Memphis received support for 30 Days of Opera and The
    McCleave Project. The 30 Days of Opera program is an outreach
    initiative intended to break down barriers that prevent new and
    underserved audiences from attending opera. Program activities included
    concerts, opera performances at schools, ``pop-up'' opera performances,
    and a family day at the opera. The second program, named for African-
    American opera singer and educator Florence McCleave, will include a
    new set of initiatives with a focus on engaging people of color.
    Activities included facilitated ``community connection'' conversations
    following performances in underserved neighborhoods, collaborations
    with Memphis-based African-American arts groups, and a re-imagining of
    the Young Artist Program as a fellowship for singers, directors, and
    coaches of color.
    Santa Fe Opera
    Santa Fe, New Mexico
    $80,000
        Santa Fe Opera received support for a new production of ``Doctor
    Atomic'' by composer and NEA Opera Honoree, John Adams, and librettist
    Peter Sellars. The opera tells the story of the final hours leading up
    to the detonation of the first atomic bomb at the Trinity Test Site in
    Alamogordo, New Mexico in July 1945. The libretto draws on original
    source materials, stitching together declassified U.S. Government
    documents and communications among scientists, government officials,
    and military personnel involved in the project; personal memoirs;
    recorded interviews; technical manuals of nuclear physics; borrowed
    texts from the Bhagavad Gita and the poetry of Charles Baudelaire,
    Muriel Rukeyser, and John Donne; and a traditional Native American Tewa
    song.
        OPERA America is grateful for the $2 million increase to the NEA in
    fiscal year 2019. The continued bipartisan support for the agency has
    enriched the lives of artists and audiences, allowing opera and the
    arts to address critical issues, making communities healthier and more
    vibrant.
        We urge you to continue toward restoration and increase the NEA
    funding allocation to $167.5 million for fiscal year 2020. On behalf of
    OPERA America, thank you for considering this request.

        [This statement was submitted by Marc A. Scorca, President and
    CEO.]
                                     ______

           Prepared Statement of the Oregon Water Resources Congress
    fiscal year 2020 budget for the u.s. environmental protection agency's
                 clean water state revolving fund loan program
        The Oregon Water Resources Congress (OWRC) is highly supportive of
    the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Water State
    Revolving Fund Loan Program (CWSRF) and is requesting that
    appropriations for this program be increased to at least $2.5 billion
    in fiscal year 2020. The CWSRF is an effective loan program that
    addresses critical water infrastructure needs while benefitting the
    environment, local communities, and the economy.
        OWRC was established in 1912 as a trade association to support the
    protection of water rights and promote the wise stewardship of water
    resources statewide. OWRC members are local governmental entities,
    which include irrigation districts, water control districts, drainage
    districts, water improvement districts, and other agricultural water
    suppliers that deliver water to roughly 1/3 of all irrigated land in
    Oregon. These water stewards operate complex water management systems,
    including water supply reservoirs, canals, pipelines, and hydropower
    production.
                        fiscal year 2020 appropriations
        We recognize our country must make strategic investments with
    scarce resources. The CWSRF is a perfect example of the type of program
    that should have funding increased because it creates jobs while
    benefitting the environment and is an efficient return on taxpayer
    investment. CWSRF projects also provide much needed construction and
    professional services jobs, particularly in rural areas facing economic
    hardship. Moreover, as a loan program, it is a wise investment that
    allows local communities to leverage their limited resources and
    address critical infrastructure needs that would otherwise be unmet.
        In Oregon, the CWSRF is administered by the Oregon Department of
    Environmental Quality (DEQ), who responsibly maintains the program
    through repaid loans, interest, fees, and available Federal
    capitalization grants. According to EPA, for every $1 of Federal
    capitalization funding, $3 worth of assistance is provided, leveraging
    available funds to maximize benefits for local communities and the
    environment we share. Unfortunately, available funding continues be
    woefully insufficient to meet the growing water infrastructure funding
    needs in Oregon and nationwide.
        Nationally, there are large and growing critical water
    infrastructure needs. In EPA's most recent survey, The Clean Watersheds
    Needs Survey 2012: Report to Congress and Drinking Water Infrastructure
    Needs Survey and Assessment: Fifth Report to Congress, the estimated
    funding need was $384 billion (in 2011 dollars) for drinking water
    infrastructure and $271 billion (in 2012 dollars) for wastewater
    infrastructure needs respectively. Funding for water infrastructure,
    specifically CWSRF, needs to be incrementally increased in order to
    meet these critical needs.
               background of cwsrf usage by irrigation districts
        Over the course of the program's 30-year history in Oregon, several
    OWRC member districts have successfully used CWSRF for projects that
    improve water quality and water quantity associated with water delivery
    diversions, canals and pipelines throughout the State. OWRC and our
    members are highly supportive of the CWSRF, including promoting the
    program to our members and annually submitting Federal appropriations
    testimony to support increased funding for the CWSRF. We believe it is
    an important funding tool that irrigation districts and other water
    suppliers are using for innovative piping projects that provide
    multiple environmental and economic benefits.
        Numerous irrigation districts and other water suppliers need to
    pipe currently open canals, which significantly reduces sediment,
    improves water temperature, and provides other water quality benefits
    to rivers and streams. Piping immediately improves the efficiency of
    the water delivery system and helps increase available water supplies
    for fish and irrigators alike. These projects also decrease energy
    consumption (from reduced pumping) and have opportunities for
    generating renewable energy, primarily through in-conduit hydropower.
    However, continually reducing the amount of funds available for these
    types of worthwhile projects has created increased uncertainty for
    potential borrowers about whether adequate funding will be available in
    future years. CWSRF is often an integral part of an overall package of
    State, Federal and local funding that necessitates a stronger level of
    assurance that loan funds will be available for planned water
    infrastructure projects. Reductions in CWSRF could lead to loss of
    grant funding and delay or derail beneficial projects that irrigation
    districts have been developing for years.
        We continue to be highly supportive of expanding ``green
    infrastructure,'' in fact, irrigation districts and other water
    suppliers in Oregon are on the forefront of innovative piping projects
    that provide multiple environmental benefits, which is discussed in
    greater detail below. In 2009, four Oregon irrigation districts
    received over $11 million in funding from the American Recovery and
    Reinvestment Act (ARRA) through the CWSRF for projects which created
    valuable jobs while improving water quality. These four projects were
    essential to DEQ not only meeting, but exceeding, the minimum
    requirement that 20 percent of the total ARRA funding for the CWSRF be
    used for ``green'' projects. Without the irrigation district projects,
    it is likely that Oregon's CWSRF would not have qualified for ARRA
    funding.
        The success Oregon districts have had in using the loan program to
    design and implement multi-benefit projects has led to increased
    applications to the CWSRF. Now irrigation districts are once again
    eligible for a key funding element, principal forgiveness (which was
    reinstated with the passage of the WIIN Act in 2016 and related State
    rulemaking in 2017), and we expect to see even more interest in the
    program. OWRC is hopeful with an increase in money available, there
    will be enough funding available to complete projects that will not
    only benefit the environment and the patrons served by the water
    delivery system, but also benefit the economy.
                             cwsrf needs in oregon
        The appropriations for the CWSRF program over the past few years
    has been far short of what is needed to address critical water
    infrastructure needs in Oregon and across the Nation. This has led to
    fewer water infrastructure projects, and therefore a reduction in
    improvements to water quality and water quantity.
        We are pleased to see a proposed modest increase in appropriations
    after several years of decreased funding and hope to see this trend
    continue as addressing infrastructure needs has become more expensive
    and even more critical. DEQ's most recent ``Proposed Intended Use Plan
    Update #2--State fiscal year 2019,'' lists 31 loan applications in need
    of a total of $171,670,456 in Oregon alone.
        The following irrigation district projects are currently ranked by
    DEQ in the top three by overall score and also meet several categories
    of the Green Reserve requirement related to improved water and energy
    efficiency. Increased funding will help catalyze many more projects
    like the ones below in Oregon and throughout the Nation.
        middle fork irrigation district (hood river county) $20,000,000
        Sec. 319 Design and Construction, Clear Branch Dam Rehabilitation
    and Coe Branch Pipeline. The district will implement multiple projects
    to improve water quality and quantity associated with its irrigation
    diversions in the Middle Fork Hood River watershed. Specific projects
    include: installing a new deep water outlet and improving fish passage
    in Laurance Lake; installing new irrigation pipe to alleviate impacts
    from current irrigation system and addressing return flows from the
    irrigation system; improving the spillway at the Clear Branch Dam; and
    improving irrigation efficiency by district patrons. The project meets
    the Green Project Reserve category 2.2-8 (water efficiency). The
    project is consistent with the 2014 Final Oregon Nonpoint Source
    Management Program Plan.
           swalley irrigation district (deschutes county) $16,000,000
        Sec. 319 Design and Construction, Irrigation Modernization Project.
    This irrigation piping project includes the installation of pressurized
    pipe to eliminate seepage and evaporative loss from open ditches; flow
    regulating and metering devices at service connections; pressurized
    delivery to eliminate individual pumps system-wide; active education
    and a sprinkler exchange program. The project meets Green Project
    Reserve category 2.2-8 for water efficiency and category 3.2-2 for
    energy efficiency because piping and pressurizing the irrigation canals
    will result in approximately 1.1 million kWh/year in energy
    conservation and conserve up to 16 cubic feet per second of water
    during the irrigation season. The project is consistent with the 2014
    Final Oregon Nonpoint Source Management Program Plan.
    lone pine irrigation district (deschutes, jefferson and crook counties)
                                   $2,000,000
        Sec. 319, Design and Construction, Irrigation Modernization
    Project. This project will modernize district-owned canals and laterals
    to conserve water, improve operational efficiency, reduce electrical
    and energy costs, reduce O&M for farmers through decreased pumping and
    improve habitat in the Deschutes River. It will achieve these goals by
    piping all of the district's open canals using HDPE and steel pipe. The
    existing suspension bridge over the Crooked River is in disrepair and a
    new structure is needed to convey the irrigation water across the
    river. The district will replace the bridge with a siphon under the
    river. The project meets Green Project Reserve categories 2.2-8 (more
    efficient irrigation) and 3.2-2 (20 percent reduction in energy
    consumption) will prevent 8.8 cfs of water loss, will leave 5.2 cfs of
    saved water in stream and reduce energy use by 2,500,000 kW hours per
    year. The project is consistent with the 2014 Final Oregon Nonpoint
    Source Management Program Plan.
     the importance of strategic partnerships and local watershed planning
        Additionally, OWRC is pleased that EPA continues ``strategic
    partnerships'' with the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Services
    (NRCS) and other Federal agencies to improve water quality and address
    nonpoint source pollution. Oregon had two priority watersheds eligible
    for funding through the National Water Quality Initiative in 2014 and
    anticipates that additional watersheds will be included in the future.
    As Oregon is a delegated State, OWRC also feels strongly that DEQ is
    best situated to develop and implement activities to improve these and
    other impaired waterways in the State. DEQ's administration of the
    CWSRF has been an extremely valuable tool in Oregon for improving water
    quality and efficiently addressing infrastructure challenges that are
    otherwise cost-prohibitive.
        DEQ has recently revised Oregon's CWSRF rules; thus making
    conservation easier and maximizing benefits in the State. Oregon's
    success in watershed planning illustrates planning efforts work best
    when diverse interests develop and implement plans at the local
    watershed level with support from State government. As the national
    model for watershed planning, Oregon does not need a new Federal agency
    or executive branch office to oversee conservation and restoration
    efforts. Planning activities are conducted through local watershed
    councils, volunteer-driven organizations that work with local, State
    and Federal agencies, economic and environmental interests,
    agricultural, industrial and municipal water users, local landowners,
    tribes, and other members of the community.
        There are over 60 individual watershed councils in Oregon already
    deeply engaged in watershed planning and restoration activities.
    Watershed planning in Oregon formally began in 1995 with the
    development of the Oregon Plan for Salmon Recovery and Watershed
    Enhancement, a statewide strategy developed in response to the Federal
    listing of several fish species. This strategy led to the creation of
    the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) in 1999, a State agency
    and policy oversight board that funds and promotes voluntary and
    collaborative efforts that ``help create and maintain healthy
    watersheds and natural habitats that support thriving communities and
    strong economies.'' OWEB projects that can be integrated with eligible
    CWSRF projects (and other State and Federal funding programs) are
    helping revolutionize how we meet our critical water challenges and
    implement multi-benefit water infrastructure projects.
                                   conclusion
        In conclusion, we applaud the CWSRF program for allowing Oregon's
    DEQ to make targeted loans that address Clean Water Act issues and
    improve water quality while incentivizing innovative water management
    solutions that benefit local communities, agricultural economies, and
    the environment. This voluntary approach creates and promotes
    cooperation and collaborative solutions to complex water resources
    challenges. We respectfully request the appropriation of at least $2.5
    billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Water
    State Revolving Loan Fund for fiscal year 2020.

        [This statement was submitted by April Snell, Executive Director.]
                                     ______

           Prepared Statement of the Oregon Water Resources Congress
       u.s. fish and wildlife service's fisheries restoration irrigation
                             mitigation act program
        The Oregon Water Resources Congress (OWRC) is writing to express
    its strong support for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries
    Restoration Irrigation Mitigation Act (FRIMA) Program and is requesting
    that appropriations for this program be $15 million in fiscal year
    2020, which is the current authorized amount. The FRIMA program is an
    essential cost-share funding program that helps water users and fishery
    agencies better protect sensitive, threatened, and endangered fish
    species while ensuring water supply delivery to farms and communities.
        OWRC was established in 1912 as a trade association to support the
    protection of water rights and promote the wise stewardship of water
    resources statewide. OWRC members are local governmental entities,
    which include irrigation districts, water control districts, drainage
    districts, water improvement districts, and other agricultural water
    suppliers that deliver water to roughly \1/3\ of all irrigated land in
    Oregon. These water stewards operate complex water management systems,
    including water supply reservoirs, canals, pipelines, and hydropower
    production.
                        fiscal year 2020 appropriations
        The FRIMA program meets a critical need in fishery protection and
    restoration, complimenting other programs through the U.S Fish and
    Wildlife Services (FWS). Fish passage and fish screen installations are
    a vital component to fishery protection with several benefits:

      --Keeps sensitive, threatened and endangered fish out of canals and
            water delivery systems
      --Allows fish to be safely bypassed around reservoirs and other
            infrastructure
      --Eliminates water quality risks to fish species

        There are over 100 irrigation districts and other special districts
    in Oregon that provide water supplies to over one million acres of
    irrigated cropland in the State. Almost all of these districts are
    affected by either State or Federal Endangered Species Act listings of
    Salmon and Steelhead, Bull Trout or other sensitive, threatened or
    endangered species. The design and installation of fish screens and
    fish passage to protect the myriad of fish species is often cost-
    prohibitive for individual districts to implement without outside
    funding sources.
        Oregon irrigation districts anticipate no less than $25 million in
    funding to meet current fish passage and fish screen needs in our
    State. Limited cost-share funds are available from the Oregon Watershed
    Enhanced Board (OWEB) program, but the primary cost-share for fish
    screen and fish passage projects has been provided by the districts and
    their water users. Projects include construction of new fish screens
    and fish passage facilities as well as significant upgrades of existing
    facilities to meet new requirements (new species or science) of the
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries
    Service and the FWS. Upgrades are often needed to modernize facilities
    with new technologies that provide better protection for fish species
    as well as reduced maintenance and increased lifespan for the operator.
       background of the fisheries restoration irrigation mitigation act
                                (frima) program
        FRIMA, originally enacted November 2000, created a Federal
    partnership program incentivizing voluntary fish screen and fish
    passage improvements for water withdrawal projects in Idaho, Oregon,
    Washington and western Montana. The funding goes to local governments
    for construction of fish screens and fish passage facilities and is
    matched with non-Federal funding. Irrigation districts and other local
    governments that divert water for irrigation accessed the funding
    directly, while individual irrigators accessed funding through their
    local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), which are local
    governments affiliated with the Natural Resources Conservation Service
    (NRCS).
        The original legislation in 2000 (Public Law 106-502) was supported
    and requested by the Pacific Northwest Partnership, a coalition of
    local governmental entities in the four Northwest States, including
    OWRC. The FRIMA legislation authorized $25 million annually, to be
    divided equally among the four States from 2001 to 2012, which was when
    the original authorization expired. The actual funding appropriated to
    the FRIMA program (through congressional write-ins) ranged from $1
    million to $8 million, well short of the $25 million it was authorized
    for and far short of what is needed to address fish passage and
    screening needs across the region. However, that small amount of
    funding was used to leverage other funds and assisted the region in
    making measurable progress towards installing fish screens and fish
    passage needed to protect sensitive, threatened, and endangered fish
    species.
        FRIMA funding was channeled through FWS to State fishery agencies
    in the four States, distributed using an application and approval
    process based on a ranking system implemented uniformly among the
    States, including the following factors: fish restoration benefits,
    cost effectiveness, and feasibility of planned structure. All projects
    provided improved fish passage or fish protection at water diversion
    structures and benefitted native fish species in the area, including
    several State or federally listed species. Projects were also subject
    to applicable State and Federal requirements for project construction
    and operation.
        FRIMA was reauthorized as part of the Water Infrastructure
    Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) of 2016. However, a fifth State,
    California, was also added as an eligible FRIMA cost-share recipient
    and the program was only reauthorized for $15 million, well short of
    the estimated $500 million in fish screening and passage needs in the
    Pacific Northwest alone. Now that the program has been reauthorized, it
    is imperative the program receive appropriations so all five States can
    better leverage State/local funding to meet their fish passage and
    screening needs.
                                program benefits
        FRIMA projects provide immediate protection for fish and fills a
    large unmet need in the West for cost-share assistance with fish
    screening and fish passage installation and improvements. FWS has
    issued a report covering program years fiscal year 2002-2012 that
    provides State-by-State break-down of how the congressional provided
    funding has been used in the program. Compared to other recovery
    strategies, installation of fish screens and fish passage has the
    highest assurance for increasing numbers of fish species in the Pacific
    Northwest. Furthermore, the installation of these devices have minimal
    impacts on water delivery operations and projects are done
    cooperatively using methods that are well accepted by landowners and
    rural communities.
        The return of the FRIMA program will catalyze cooperative
    partnerships and innovative projects that provide immediate and long-
    term benefits to irrigators, fishery agencies, and local communities
    throughout the Pacific Northwest. This program is also a wise
    investment, with past projects contributing more than the required
    match and leveraging on average over one dollar for each Federal dollar
    invested. FRIMA provides for a maximum Federal cost-share of 65
    percent, with the applicant's cost-share at 35 percent plus the on-
    going maintenance and support of the structure for passage or screening
    purposes. Applicants operate the projects and the State agencies
    monitor and review the projects.
                           oregon projects & benefits
        Twenty-six fish screens or fish passage projects in Oregon were
    previously funded using FRIMA for part of the project financing. These
    projects have led to:

      --Installation of screens at 17 diversions or irrigation pumps
      --Removal or modification of 12 fish passage barriers
      --Three-hundred sixty-five miles being re-opened to fish passage

        In addition, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has
    used some of the FRIMA funding to develop an inventory of need for fish
    screens and passages in the State. Grants ranged from just under $6,000
    to $400,000 in size with a local match averaging 64 percent of the
    project costs, well over the amount required under the Act (35
    percent). In other words, each Federal dollar invested in the FRIMA
    program generates a local investment of just over one dollar for the
    protection of fish species in the Pacific Northwest.

        The following are examples of how Oregon used some of its FRIMA
    money:

        Santiam Water Control District: Fish screen project on a large 1050
    cubic feet per second (cfs) multipurpose water diversion project on the
    Santiam River (Willamette Basin) near Stayton, Oregon. Partners are the
    Santiam Water Control District, ODFW, Marion Soil and Water
    Conservation District, and the City of Stayton. Approved FRIMA funding
    of $400,000 leveraged a $1,200,000 total project cost. Species
    benefited included winter steelhead, spring Chinook, rainbow trout, and
    cutthroat trout.
        South Fork Little Butte Creek: Fish screen and fish passage project
    on a 65 cfs irrigation water diversion in the Rogue River Basin near
    Medford, Oregon. Partners are the Medford Irrigation District and ODFW.
    Approved FRIMA funding of $372,000 leveraged a $580,000 total project
    cost. Species benefited included listed summer and winter steelhead,
    coho salmon, and cutthroat trout.
        Running Y (Geary Diversion): Fish screen project on a 60 cfs
    irrigation water diversion in the upper Klamath Basin near Klamath
    Falls, Oregon. Partners are the Wocus Drainage District, ODFW, and
    Jeld-Wen Ranches. Approved FRIMA funding of $44,727 leveraged a total
    project cost of $149,000. Species benefited included listed red-band
    trout and short-nosed sucker.
        Lakeshore Gardens: Fish screen project on a 2 cfs irrigation water
    diversion in the upper Klamath Basin near Klamath Falls, Oregon.
    Partners are the Lakeshore Gardens Drainage District and ODFW. Approved
    FRIMA funding of $5,691 leveraged a total project cost of $18,970.
    Species benefited included red-band trout, short-nosed sucker and Lost
    River sucker.
                                   conclusion
        Increasing appropriations for FRIMA will fill a vital funding gap
    for fish screens and fish passage projects that are needed to better
    protect sensitive, threatened, and endangered fish species, which also
    benefits the economy, local communities, and the environment we share.
    FRIMA funds projects that are ready to be constructed and will provide
    immediate improved protections for fish and immediate jobs for the
    construction of the projects. Dollar-for-dollar, providing screening
    and fish passage at diversions is one of the most cost-effective uses
    of restoration dollars, creating fishery protection at low cost, with
    low risk and significant benefits.
        The return of a robustly funded FRIMA program will catalyze
    cooperative partnerships and innovative projects that provide immediate
    and long-term benefits to irrigators, fishery agencies, and local
    communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. We respectfully request
    an appropriation of $15 million for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's
    Fisheries Restoration Irrigation Mitigation Act program for fiscal year
    2020.

        [This statement was submitted by April Snell, Executive Director.]
                                     ______

    Prepared Statement of Organizations in Support of the Forest Inventory
             and Analysis Program Funded by the USDA Forest Service

    May 17, 2019

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski                The Honorable Tom Udall
    Chair, Appropriations Subcommittee on       Ranking Member,
     Interior, Environment, and Related          Appropriations Subcommittee
     Agencies                                    on Interior, Environment,
    U.S. House of Representatives                and Related Agencies
    Washington, DC 20515                        U.S. House of
                                                 Representatives
                                                Washington, DC 20515

    Dear Chair Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall,

        The undersigned organizations are strong supporters of the Forest
    Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program funded by the USDA Forest Service
    (Forest Service). We rely on the inventory data and analysis of
    America's forests provided by the program, which make up the backbone
    of scientific knowledge on the current state of the Nation's forests.
    This critical information is needed to support sound policy and forest
    management decisions, both public and private, and is increasingly
    important for decisions regarding new and expanding markets. We urge
    the Congress to support the FIA program and request funding for the
    program in fiscal year 2020 of at least $83 million to move the program
    toward providing an accurate and timely inventory of America's forests.
    We also urge the inclusion of language ensuring that this funding
    would, at minimum, maintain historic remeasurement cycles--every 7
    years in the east and every 10 years in the west--as referenced by the
    administration.
        The data and information collected by FIA serves as the basis for:
    identifying trends in forest ownership; measuring carbon stocks;
    assessing fish and wildlife habitat; evaluating wildfire, insect, and
    disease risk; predicting the spread of invasive species; determining
    capital investment in existing forest products facilities and selecting
    locations for new forest product facilities; and identifying and
    responding to priorities identified in State Forest Action Plans.
        The FIA program is utilized by a large set of diverse stakeholders
    interested in the state of America's forests. These include forest
    resource managers at mills, land managers, conservation groups,
    university students and faculty, and State and Federal agencies, such
    as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
        The undersigned organizations would like to work with Congress to
    further explore program potential. An annual funding level of $83
    million would support a seven-year annualized program in the east, and
    a 10-year program in the west as recommended in the Forest Service's
    2007 FIA Strategic Plan. In 2015 the Forest Service released an updated
    FIA Strategic Plan, which outlines a variety of potential program
    deliverables at funding levels. While we are supportive of at least $83
    million in funding for fiscal year 2020, the 2015 Strategic Plan calls
    for $103 million to implement the 5-year annualized program called for
    in the 1998 Farm Bill. This reduction in cycle length would provide
    more accurate data to support important forest resource decisions.
        As engaged partners, we are interested in working with Congress and
    the Forest Service to make program delivery as efficient as possible
    and to support additional Federal investment to implement many of the
    useful tools outlined in the new FIA Strategic Plan, such as, urban
    inventory, increased plot density, and improved carbon and biomass
    estimates. Further, the 2018 Farm Bill called for ``finding
    efficiencies in the program operations through the use of remote
    sensing technologies, where appropriate.'' We look forward to working
    with the Agency as this direction is implemented. There is a need to
    make FIA data more robust and more useful for emerging uses, such as
    accurate information regarding carbon stocks, forest sustainability
    monitoring, wildlife habitat assessments, and much more. Given the
    increasing pressures facing our forests-from wildfire, insects and
    disease, and development-the FIA program is more important now than
    ever before. Funding the FIA program at $83 million for fiscal year
    2020 would move toward providing for our growing data needs.

    Sincerely,

    Alabama Forestry Association
    American Forest & Paper Association
    American Forest Foundation
    American Forests
    American Wood Council
    American Woodcock Society
    Arkansas Forestry Association
    Association of Consulting Foresters
    BB&S Treated Lumber of New England
    Boise Cascade Company
    Ecological Society of America
    Empire State Forest Products Association
    Florida Forestry Association
    Fontana Wood Preserving
    Forest Products Industry National Labor Management Committee
    Forest Resources Association
    Forestry Association of South Carolina
    Gross & Janes Co.
    Hancock Natural Resource Group
    Idaho Forest Group
    IN Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society
    Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association
    Kentucky Forest Industries Association
    L&C Carbon
    Massachusetts Forest Alliance
    McCord Tie and Timber, Inc.
    Mississippi Forestry Association
    National Alliance of Forest Owners
    National Association of Forest Service Retirees
    National Association of State Foresters
    National Audubon Society
    National Wild Turkey Federation
    Ohio Forestry Association, Inc.
    Pennsylvania Forestry Association
    Rayonier
    Ruffed Grouse Society
    SC Pole and Piling Inc
    SFP
    Society for Range Management
    Society for the Protection of NH Forests
    Society of American Foresters
    Sustainable Forestry Initiative
    Tank Fab Inc
    The Hardwood Federation
    The Nature Conservancy
    The Westervelt Company
    Treated Wood Council
    Vermont Woodlands Association
    Viance LLC

                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of Organizations in Support of Investments in Key
      Federal Programs That Support State and Private Forestry Activities
                          Throughout the United States

    March 15, 2019

    The Honorable Betty McCollum                The Honorable Lisa Murkowski
    Chairman, Appropriations Subcommittee on    Chairman, Appropriations
     Interior, Environment and Related           Subcommittee on Interior,
     Agencies                                    Environment and Related
    U.S. House of Representatives                Agencies
    50 Independence Avenue SW, Room 2007        U.S. Senate
    Washington, DC 20515                        100 Constitution Avenue NE,
                                                  Room 131
                                                Washington, DC 20510

    The Honorable David Joyce                   The Honorable Tom Udall
    Ranking Member, Appropriations              Ranking Member,
     Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and   Appropriations Subcommittee
     Related Agencies                            on Interior, Environment
    U.S. House of Representatives                and Related Agencies
    15 Independence Avenue SE, Room 1016        U.S. Senate
    Washington, DC 20515                        The Capitol, Room S-146A
                                                Washington, DC 20510

    Dear Chairwomen McCollum and Murkowski and Ranking Members Joyce and
    Udall:

        As Congress begins the process of drafting the fiscal year 2020
    budget, we appreciate that spending choices must be made that coincide
    with our Nation's priorities. As the Committee seeks to maximize the
    effectiveness of every Federal dollar, we would like to highlight the
    role effective partnerships can play in addressing our Nation's forest
    challenges. For this reason, the undersigned organizations support
    investments in key Federal programs that support State and private
    forestry activities throughout the United States. A critically-
    important component of the Forest Service's budget, these programs help
    tackle some of the most pressing issues in forestry while conserving
    and improving America's forestlands; enhancing and protecting our
    drinking water; contributing to healthy, livable communities; and
    encouraging forest product innovation and utilization. Even further,
    these investments help the Nation deliver important economic growth
    across the sector, especially in rural communities.
        The USDA's Forest Service State and Private Forestry Program area
    (S&PF) has a long history as an important part of the Forest Service
    and the profession of forestry. Private forests constitute most of the
    Nation's forests and over 90 percent of our domestically-produced
    forest products. Providing this important technical and financial
    assistance to private landowners and the resource managers responsible
    for managing more than 60 percent of America's forests helps to
    increase the pace of work and on-the- ground results, improve the
    resilience of the Nation's forests, and protect communities and the
    environment from forest pests, invasive species, and wildland fires.
        In fiscal year 2020, funding for the following State and Private
    Forestry and related programs that support them will help improve the
    health of the Nation's forests and encourage economic growth in a
    sector that sustains more than one million jobs in the United States.
    Our funding level requests include:

      --$29 million for the Forest Stewardship Program: Administered in
            cooperation with State forestry agencies, this program plays a
            fundamental role in keeping forests as forests. Forest insects,
            diseases, and wildfire know no bounds between Federal and non-
            Federal forests and assisting some of the 22 million private
            forest owners in managing non-Federal forests can help minimize
            the impacts to Federal lands, ultimately saving the Federal
            taxpayer millions of dollars. A forest landowner with a forest
            stewardship plan is almost three times more likely to actively
            manage their land than one without a plan, in turn creating
            jobs and developing the rural economies on which private forest
            lands rely to produce ninety percent of the Nation's wood
            supply. Additionally, landowners with stewardship plans are
            actively managing their lands, producing even more benefits for
            wildlife, clean water, and forest health.
      --$51 million for Forest Health Management on Cooperative Lands:
            Pests and disease are national problems affecting private and
            public lands. Nationally, their impact is in the tens of
            billions of dollars. The USFS Forest Health Management Program
            supports efforts to prevent, contain, and eradicate these
            costly and dangerous pests and pathogens affecting trees and
            forests. Since these pests know no bounds, it is critical to
            maintain robust funding for forest health management in both
            Federal and cooperative lands accounts.
      --$87 million for State Fire Assistance and $18 million for Volunteer
            Fire Assistance Programs: Ninety percent of the Nation's
            wildfires are human-caused and most of these starts are on
            State and private lands (which often spread to Federal lands).
            Initial attack is the key to reducing large fire costs and
            these programs are critical to these suppression efforts. State
            and volunteer fire crews provide much of that initial attack
            response and are deployed to assist on Federal fires and other
            emergency or disaster situations, in compliance with national
            safety and training standards.
      --$20 million for Landscape Scale Restoration: The USFS works
            collaboratively with States and other partners using State
            Forest Action Plans to target limited resources to the highest
            priority forest needs across ownerships to achieve results with
            meaningful local, regional, and national impacts. The 2018 Farm
            Bill officially codified the Landscape Scale Restoration
            program and authorized $20 million in annual appropriations,
            the amount of our request. In an era when our forests are
            facing an increasing number of challenges, this program allows
            for a small Federal investment to be matched and leveraged by
            States and put towards the most pressing threats to the forests
            that sustain American communities.
      --$83 million for Forest Inventory and Analysis: This is our
            country's forest census, which has been ongoing since 1930. The
            collection and reporting of this information in a timely manner
            is vital for forest industry and others in planning their
            future economic investments based on availability of forest raw
            materials, as well as for keeping our Nation's forests healthy
            by tracking impacts to forests from fire, insects and disease,
            urbanization and development, and other threats.

        While not specifying suggested budget levels, we want to also call
    your attention to the need for funding research, which provides the
    basis for policies that improve the health and quality of urban and
    rural communities, including helping to expand markets. A combination
    of responsible forest management combined with a healthy forest market
    will benefit the forest landscape and the communities that live in and
    around them.
        Thank you for your consideration.

    Sincerely,

    Alabama Forestry Association
    American Forest & Paper Association
    American Forest Foundation
    American Forests
    American Wood Council
    American Woodcock Society
    Arkansas Forestry Association
    Boise Cascade Company
    Empire State Forest Products Association
    Florida Forestry Association
    Fontana Wood Preserving
    Forest Products Industry National Labor Management Committee
    Forest Resources Association
    Forestry Association of South Carolina
    Gross & Janes Co.
    Hancock Natural Resource Group
    Idaho Forest Group
    Indiana Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society
    Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association
    Kentucky Forest Industries Association
    L&C Carbon
    Massachusetts Forest Alliance
    McCord Tie and Timber, Inc.
    Mississippi Forestry Association
    National Alliance of Forest Owners
    National Association of Forest Service Retirees
    National Association of State Foresters
    National Audubon Society
    National Wild Turkey Federation
    Ohio Forestry Association, Inc.
    Pennsylvania Forestry Association
    Rayonier
    Ruffed Grouse Society
    SC Pole and Piling Inc
    Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
    Society of American Foresters
    Spartanburg Forest Products
    Sustainable Forestry Initiative
    The Hardwood Federation
    Tank Fab Inc
    The Westervelt Company
    The Nature Conservancy
    Vermont Woodlands Association
    Treated Wood Council
    Virginia Forestry Association
    Viance LLC
    Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of Organizations in Support of the United States'
                    Engagement in the World Heritage Program

    May 14, 2019

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski                The Honorable Tom Udall
    Chairman                                    Ranking Member
    Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and   Subcommittee on Interior,
     Related Agencies                            Environment and Related
    Committee on Appropriations                  Agencies
    United States Senate                        Committee on Appropriations
    Washington, D.C. 20510                      United States Senate
                                                Washington, D.C. 20510

    Dear Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall:

        As organizations dedicated to the protection and preservation of
    the historic and cultural resources of our Nation including but not
    limited to World Heritage Sites, we write in support of the United
    States' engagement in the World Heritage Program. We urge you to
    appropriate $1.926 million for the National Park Service's
    International Park Affairs including at least $1.25 million for the
    Office of International Affairs (OIA) to ensure our robust involvement
    with the program and to support many United States communities and
    sites seeking nomination to the World Heritage List. We also urge
    Congress to reject the administration's proposal to drastically reduce
    overall program funding for International Park Affairs while also
    shifting the Southwest Border Resource Protection Program into OIA. For
    the past three fiscal years, Congress has consistently appropriated
    $1.648 million for International Park Affairs, including $942,000 for
    the OIA. We believe that a modest increase to $1.926 million for
    International Park Affairs including at least $1.25 million for the
    Office of International Affairs is appropriate and merited.
        The United States led the creation of the World Heritage Program in
    1972 and was the first to ratify the Convention in 1973. Two of our
    national parks--Yellowstone National Park and Mesa Verde National
    Park--were among the first dozen sites inscribed on the World Heritage
    List in 1978. Today, just 23 out of the 1,092 sites inscribed on the
    World Heritage List are in the United States, of which 18 are managed
    by the National Park Service (NPS). Many more sites of cultural and
    natural importance remain on the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List,
    and still others are eligible for nomination.
        The Office of International Affairs within the NPS works to support
    protection and enhancement of parks around the world, responds to
    issues relating to existing World Heritage Sites, and selects eligible
    sites for the World Heritage Tentative List and shepherds them through
    the detailed nomination process. Inadequate funding hinders OIA's
    ability to support the increasing numbers of communities in the United
    States who seek nominations to the World Heritage List despite the
    considerable effort and financial expenditure required. Significant
    sites such as the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks in Ohio; Frank Lloyd
    Wright Buildings in Arizona, California, Illinois, New York, Oklahoma,
    Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin; and Civil Rights Movement Sites in Alabama
    remain on the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List. Inclusion on the
    World Heritage List brings communities and sites substantial cultural,
    economic, and social benefits. Increased funding for OIA would enable
    more American sites with international significance to be added to the
    World Heritage List.
        The recent tragic fire at the Notre-Dame de Paris, also a World
    Heritage Site, reminds all of us of the importance of our collective
    history--and the need to safeguard and honor it. The severe damage to
    Notre Dame rouses us to protect other irreplaceable places that tell
    our human story. We must preserve these sites now so that they may
    remain for future generations.
        We believe that it is of critical importance for the United States
    to remain robustly engaged in and supportive of the World Heritage
    Program. We urge you to provide funds to both support nominations of
    American sites to the World Heritage List and to demonstrate engagement
    in the important work of ensuring global peace through the mutual
    respect of heritage of outstanding universal value worldwide.
        We greatly appreciate the strong support Congress has shown for the
    preservation of our Nation's heritage. We look forward to working with
    you through the appropriations process and thank you for your
    consideration.

    For questions, please contact:
        Destry Jarvis, Advocacy Chair, US/ICOMOS
        destryjarvis2@me.com

                      or

        Tom Cassidy, Vice President, Government Relations
        National Trust for Historic Preservation
        Tom_Cassidy@nthp.org

    Sincerely,

    US/ICOMOS (US National Committee for the International Council on
        Monuments and Sites)
    National Trust for Historic Preservation
    National Parks Conservation Association
    Coalition to Protect America's National Parks
    Archeology Southwest
    The Coalition for American Heritage
    National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers
    Ohio History Connection
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of Organizations Supporting Increased Funding in
           Investment in USDA Forest Service Research and Development

    May 17, 2019

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski                The Honorable Tom Udall
    Chair, Appropriations Subcommittee on       Ranking Member,
     Interior, Environment, and Related          Appropriations Subcommittee
     Agencies                                    on Interior, Environment,
    U.S. Senate                                  and Related Agencies
    Washington, DC 20515                        U.S. Senate
                                                Washington, DC 20515

    Dear Chair McCollum and Ranking Member Joyce:

        Improving the future health and sustainability of the Nation's
    forests and grasslands requires a strong investment in USDA Forest
    Service Research and Development (R&D), with benefits to forests,
    wildlife, and fish. The undersigned organizations and professional
    societies urge Congress to increase funding for all Forest Service R&D
    to a minimum of $310 million in fiscal year 2020 including all
    necessary increases for the Forest Inventory and Analysis program and
    at least $227 million for the remaining Forest and Rangeland Research
    program areas.
        Building on over 100 years of critically important research, Forest
    Service R&D programs inform policy and land-management decisions that
    improve health and use of the Nation's forests and grasslands,
    including aquatic systems. Funding for these important activities is
    critical to sustaining the Nation's natural resources. Showing value in
    this investment requires R&D leaders and scientists be attuned and
    responsive in providing relevant and timely information and support
    with an ability to effectively deliver assistance to all users. Notable
    recent Forest Service R&D contributions include:
    Using Science to Guide Drought Management Response
        Forest Service R&D has been a leader in reviewing impacts of
    drought on U.S. forests and rangelands to help better manage for
    drought resiliency and adaptation going forward. Forest Service R&D
    assessments and guidance offers assistance to Federal, State, and
    private organizations in implementation strategies to sustain healthy,
    resilient ecosystems that continue to produce vital goods and services.
    Helping to Identify Pragmatic Solutions for Species at Risk
        Through long-term monitoring and collaborative research efforts
    with State agencies and other partners, Forest Service R&D informs land
    management decisions that benefit wildlife and people by providing an
    understanding of wildlife-habitat relationships for multiple species
    and communities. This includes informing conservation efforts that have
    helped to avoid Endangered Species Act listings for several forest and
    rangeland wildlife species.
    Improving Smoke and Fire Management Capabilities
        The Prescribed Fire Combustion and Atmospheric Dynamics Research
    Experiment is a landmark study improving predictions of fire spread and
    smoke behavior. This behavior prediction tool with the Blue Sky Smoke
    Management Model allows fire managers to better understand where flames
    and smoke from wildland fires will go to alert affected communities
    sooner and reduce human health effects.
    Developing Innovative Solutions to Managing Invasive Species
        Forest Service R&D also develops innovative solutions to manage
    invasive pathogens and species that can decimate native plant and
    animal populations. These investments resulted in a cost-effective way
    to quickly identify presence or absence of invasive species in an
    aquatic environment; trees with a natural resistance to emerald ash
    borers; and the first nonlethal treatment for white-nose syndrome--a
    lethal fungal disease that has reduced bat populations by upwards of 80
    percent in certain parts of the country.
    Expanding and Protecting U.S. Market Opportunities for Forest Resources
        The Forest Products Laboratory drives innovation and expansion of
    commercial applications for forest products. The work at the Lab on
    woody biofuels, advanced composites and wood structures, and value-
    added wood products promotes healthy forest ecosystems and economies by
    creating, enhancing, and protecting markets for forest products. In
    partnership with universities, scientists from Research Stations across
    the country, and partners in the private sector, the Lab is exploring
    potential of mass timber structures by conducting work on building
    codes and wood utilization models to increase use of wood in building
    construction and invigorate existing and create new markets for wood
    products.
    Calculating the Value of Urban Forests and Trees
        City leaders can calculate the value of new tree plantings in terms
    of property value increases, future energy savings, air pollutant
    uptake, and storm water runoff reduction helping cities protect and
    restore environmental quality and enhance economic opportunity.
    Quantifying the Role of Forests in Providing Clean Air and Water
        This research directly linking trees to clean air and water
    underscores the economic value and benefits trees and forests provide
    to all residents and communities. Recent R&D work shows that forests,
    which make up 26 percent of U.S. land area, are the source of 46
    percent of the U.S. water supply--generating far better returns than
    other land uses. This understanding of how to manage forested
    landscapes to enhance production of sustained, low cost clean water
    supplies and improved air quality are cost effective and critically
    important to human health providing a value of nearly $7 billion every
    year.
        Advancing forest science is integral to improving the health and
    welfare of U.S. forests and citizens, increasing the competitiveness of
    U.S. products in the global marketplace, and adapting to unforeseen
    future challenges. Continuing the trend of reductions in the R&D budget
    will result in significant gaps in the knowledge base and data sets
    necessary to address the many threats facing our Nation's forests and
    associated wildlife could result in competitive losses in the global
    economy. Therefore, our organizations request a funding level of $310
    million for USFS R&D with particular emphasis on research projects
    uniquely suited to R&D expertise and the furthering of agency and
    partner objectives.

    Sincerely,

    American Forests
    American Wood Council
    American Woodcock Society
    Arkansas Forestry Association
    Boise Cascade Company
    Ecological Society of America
    Empire State Forest Products Association
    Florida Forestry Association
    Fontana Wood Preserving
    Forest Resources Association
    Forestry Association of South Carolina
    Gross & Janes Co.
    Hancock Natural Resource Group
    Idaho Forest Group
    IN Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society
    Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association
    Kentucky Forest Industries Association
    L&C Carbon
    McCord Tie and Timber, Inc.
    Mississippi Forestry Association
    National Alliance of Forest Owners
    National Association of Forest Service Retirees
    National Audubon Society
    National Wild Turkey Federation
    Ohio Forestry Association, Inc.
    Pennsylvania Forestry Association
    Rayonier
    Ruffed Grouse Society
    SC Pole and Piling Inc
    SFP
    Society for Range Management
    Society for the Protection of NH Forests
    Society of American Foresters
    Sustainable Forestry Initiative
    Tank Fab Inc
    The Hardwood Federation
    The Nature Conservancy
    The Westervelt Company
    Treated Wood Council
    Vermont Woodlands Association
    Viance LLC

                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the Partnership for the National Trails System
    Madame Chair and Members of the subcommittee:

        The Partnership for the National Trails System appreciates your
    support over the past 25 years, through operations funding and
    dedicated Challenge Cost Share funds, for the national scenic and
    historic trails administered by the National Park Service. We also
    appreciate your increased allocation of funds to support the trails
    administered and managed by the Forest Service and for the trails in
    the Bureau of Land Management's National Conservation Lands System.
        2018 was the 50th year since Congress established the National
    Trails System as a bold experiment in public/private collaboration for
    public benefit. While most of the trail making is done by tens of
    thousands of citizen stewards increased funding is needed to close gaps
    in these trails. To continue the progress that you have fostered and to
    begin the next 50 years with an increased investment in the National
    Trails System, the Partnership requests that you provide annual
    operations funding for each of the 30 national scenic and historic
    trails for fiscal year 2020 through these appropriations:

      --National Park Service: $16.426 million for administration of 23
            trails and for coordination of the long-distance trails program
            by the Washington office. Construction and Maintenance:
            $357,200 for the Ice Age Trail, $175,000 for the Arizona Trail,
            and $200,000 for the Pacific Crest Trail.
      --USDA Forest Service: $100 million for trails construction and
            maintenance (CMTL) with $8.826 million of it to administer 6
            trails and $1.3 million to manage parts of 16 trails
            administered by the NPS or BLM. $3 million for Iditarod Trail
            construction and maintenance.
      --Bureau of Land Management: $2.812 million to administer three
            trails and for coordination of the National Trails program and
            $7.14 million to manage portions of 13 trails administered by
            the Park Service or the Forest Service and for operating five
            National Historic Trail interpretive centers. Construction:
            $100,000 for the Iditarod Trail. Maintenance: $200,000 for the
            Iditarod Trail, $125,000 for the Arizona Trail, and $300,000
            for the Pacific Crest Trail.

        We ask you to appropriate $900,000,000 from the Land and Water
    Conservation Fund and allocate $33,408,000 of it to these agencies to
    purchase 41 tracts along six national scenic and six national historic
    trails:

      --Bureau of Land Management: $2,895,000
      --U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: $5,419,000
      --U.S. Forest Service: $7,237,000
      --National Park Service: $17,857,000
                             national park service
        The $16.426 million we request for Park Service operations includes
    increases for some of the trails to continue the progress and new
    initiatives made possible by the additional funding Congress provided
    several years ago. We request an increase of $68,000 to $450,000 for
    the National Trails System Program account to provide stronger support
    for the 23 national trails administered by the Park Service. An
    increase of $570,000 for the Old Spanish Trail will enable the Park
    Service to begin implementing the Trail's new Comprehensive
    Administrative Strategy working with the Old Spanish Trail Association
    to increase volunteer participation in signing, interpreting, and
    educating the public about the trail. The Park Service will be better
    able to collaborate with the Bureau of Land Management in administering
    the trail and to consult with other agencies to protect the cultural
    and natural resources along it from destruction by energy projects.
        We request an increase of $660,000 to expand Park Service efforts
    to protect cultural landscapes at more than 200 sites along the Santa
    Fe Trail, to develop GIS mapping, and to fund public educational and
    community outreach programs of the Santa Fe Trail Association.
    Increases of $313,224 for the Oregon Trail and $255,192 for the
    California Trail will enable the Park Service to work with the Oregon-
    California Trails Association to develop digital and social media to
    connect with youth in the cities along these trails providing
    information about their many layers of history and to better protect
    the historical and cultural heritage sites and landscapes along them
    from destruction by energy development in the West. Congress doubled
    the length of the Trail of Tears in 2009, but provided no additional
    funding to manage the additional trail. An increase of $165,000 to
    $656,000 will provide for management of this additional trail and more
    support for the work of Trail of Tears Association volunteers.
        We request an increase of $173,000 to $300,000 for the New England
    Trail to strengthen the outreach and community engagement of the
    Connecticut Forests & Parks Association and the Appalachian Mountain
    Club along the trail and support trail relocations and reconstruction
    work of these organizations' volunteers. We request a modest increase
    to $2,050,000 for the Lewis & Clark Trail to administer the Eastern
    Legacy extension along the Ohio River authorized by Congress in S. 47.
        We request an increase of $300,000 to $833,000 for the Ala Kahakai
    Trail to enable the Park Service to work with E Mau Na Ala Hele, the
    Ala Kahakai Trail Association, and other community organizations to
    care for resources on the land and with the University of Hawaii to
    conduct archaeological and cultural landscape studies along this trail.
        The $1,020,000 we request for the 4,200 mile North Country Trail
    will enable the Park Service to provide greater support for the
    regional GIS mapping, trail building, trail management, and training of
    volunteers led by the North Country Trail Association. The $1,500,000
    we request for the Ice Age Trail includes a $665,000 increase to build
    partner and citizen capacity for building new and maintaining existing
    trail, protecting the natural and cultural resources on the lands
    purchased for the trail, and to provide the Park Service with a planner
    to accelerate planning of the land protection corridor for the trail.
        Construction and Maintenance: We request that you provide $357,200
    for the Ice Age Trail to build 10 miles of new trail and several
    trailhead parking lots and repair damage from catastrophic floods;
    $175,000 for maintenance of the National Park Service segments of the
    Arizona Trail; and $200,000 for trail construction projects on National
    Park Service segments of the Pacific Crest Trail.
                              usda--forest service
        We ask you to appropriate $100 million for trails construction and
    maintenance (CMTL) to begin to address the considerable maintenance
    backlog on the trails in the National Forest System. Within this
    appropriation we request that you provide $8.826 million as a separate
    budgetary item specifically for the Arizona, Continental Divide,
    Florida, Pacific Crest, and Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trails
    and the Nez Perce National Historic Trail within the over-all
    appropriation for Capital Improvements and Maintenance for Trails.
    Recognizing the on-the-ground management responsibility the Forest
    Service has for 1024 miles of the Appalachian Trail, more than 650
    miles of the North Country Trail, and sections of the Ice Age, Anza,
    Caminos Real de Tierra Adentro and de Tejas, Lewis & Clark, California,
    Iditarod, Mormon Pioneer, Old Spanish, Oregon, Overmountain Victory,
    Pony Express, Trail of Tears and Santa Fe Trails, we ask you to
    appropriate $1.3 million specifically for these trails.
        We ask that you provide direction to the Forest Service to
    specifically allocate the funding appropriated for the administered and
    managed national scenic and historic trails directly to those trails.
        The Partnership's request of $8.826 million includes $1.5 million
    to enable the Forest Service and Florida Trail Association to continue
    trail maintenance, to control invasive species, do ecosystem
    restoration, and otherwise manage 4,625 acres of new Florida Trail
    land. The $8.826 million request also includes $2.5 million for the
    Pacific Crest Trail, $2 million for the Continental Divide Trail, $1
    million for the Pacific Northwest Trail, $926,000 for the Nez Perce
    Trail, and $900,000 for the Arizona Trail. The additional funds
    requested will enable the Forest Service to develop Comprehensive
    Management Plans for the latter three trails. We also request $3
    million of additional funding for construction and for maintenance of
    sections of the Iditarod Trail in the Chugach National Forest.
                           bureau of land management
        Although considerably more money is needed to fully administer the
    National Conservation Lands System and protect its resources, we
    request that you appropriate $84 million in base funding for the
    System. We ask that you appropriate as new permanent base funding
    $250,000 for National Trails System Program Coordination, $1,000,000
    for the Iditarod Trail, $230,000 for El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
    Trail, $1,332,000 for the Old Spanish Trail, and $4,000,000 for the
    Bureau to manage 4,645 miles of 13 other national scenic and historic
    trails. We request $100,000 to construct new sections of the Iditarod
    Trail and to maintain these trails: Iditarod Trail--$200,000, Arizona
    Trail--$125,000, and Pacific Crest Trail--$300,000. We also request
    $3,140,000 to operate five historic trails interpretive centers.
        To promote greater management transparency and accountability for
    the National Trails and the whole National Landscape Conservation
    System (NLCS), we urge you to request expenditure and accomplishment
    reports for each of the NLCS Units for fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year
    2020 and to direct the Bureau to include unit-level allocations within
    major sub-activities for each of the scenic and historic trails, and
    wild and scenic rivers--as the Bureau has done for the national
    monuments, wilderness, and conservation areas--within a new activity
    account for the National Landscape Conservation System in fiscal year
    2020. The Bureau's lack of a unified budget account for National Trails
    prevents the agency from efficiently planning, implementing, reporting,
    and taking advantage of cost-saving and leveraging partnerships and
    volunteer contributions for every activity related to these national
    resources.
                        land and water conservation fund
        The Partnership strongly supports full funding of the Land and
    Water Conservation Fund at the authorized $900 million for the
    component Federal and State programs funded under LWCF. Within this
    amount we request that you appropriate $33,408,000 to acquire 41
    parcels along these 12 national scenic and historic trails:

    Bureau of Land Management: $2,895,000 | 12 parcels | 1,845 acres
        Nez Perce National Historic Trail (ID) $2,295,000 to protect
    riparian ecosystems and migratory corridors with habitat for sage
    grouse, pronghorn antelope, and elk, and historic and cultural
    resources.
        Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (OR) $600,000 for trail and
    resource protection within the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument in
    Southern Oregon.
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: $5,419,000 | 6 parcels | 1,790 acres
        California National Historic Trail (ID): $1,570,000 to protect the
    largest breeding concentration of Sandhill Cranes and a haven for other
    waterfowl near Grays Lake NWR from agricultural development.
        Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (VA)
    $3,000,000 to preserve and provide access to sites of historic
    encounters between John Smith and indigenous peoples and protect major
    eagle and migratory bird stopover habitat in the Rappahannock River and
    James River NWRs.
        Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail (WA) $849,000 to preserve a
    wealth of unique ecosystems and enhance ecosystem connectivity between
    State-protected lands and the Steigerwald NWR.
    U.S. Forest Service: $7,237,000 | 15 parcels | 2,219 acres
        Appalachian National Scenic Trail (NC, TN, VA,) $4,582,000 to
    protect miles of several trout streams, relocate trail segments,
    preserve trail viewsheds, and provide habitat for rare birds and
    ecological connectivity and watershed protection near or adjacent to
    the Pisgah NF State-protected lands.
        Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZ) $200,000 for an easement in
    Little Casa Blanca Canyon closing a gap in the trail and removing it
    from a dangerous road.
        Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CO) $2,300,000 to acquire
    land around Muddy Pass to enable 14 miles of the trail to be relocated
    from a busy highway near Steamboat Springs and $65,000 to protect
    alpine headwaters of the Rio Grande River in San Juan County, Colorado.
        Florida National Scenic Trail (FL) $90,000 to fill trail gaps and
    provide connectivity between protected areas along the Withlacoochee
    River and adjacent to Suwannee River State Park.
    National Park Service: $17,857,000 | 8 parcels | 5,720 acres
        Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail (HI): $6,000,000 to protect 444
    archaeological sites at an ancient coastal indigenous gathering area
    that hosts a wealth of native plants and wildlife both above and below
    ground in lava tubes.
        Appalachian National Scenic Trail (MA, ME) $3,357,000 to protect
    the remaining 8 miles of shoreline and enable public access for Bald
    Mountain Pond, to enable multiple trail re-routings, to preserve
    delicate habitats for threatened and endangered species, to support
    connectivity of riparian and forest habitats, and to preserve iconic
    scenic viewsheds.
        Ice Age National Scenic Trail (WI) $1,500,000 to help acquire
    several parcels within the Cross Plains Unit of the Ice Age National
    Scientific Reserve in Dane County.
        Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (VA)
    $4,000,000 to purchase 1000 acres.
        Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
    (NY) $3,000,000 for preservation of a Revolutionary War-era supply
    depot site and cemetery.
             private sector support for the national trails system
        Public-spirited partnerships between private citizens and public
    agencies have been a hallmark of the National Trails System since its
    inception. These partnerships create the enduring strength of the
    Trails System and the trail communities that sustain it by combining
    the local, grass-roots energy and responsiveness of volunteers with the
    responsible continuity of public agencies. They also provide private
    financial support for public projects, often resulting in a greater
    than equal match of funds.
        The private trail organizations' commitment to the success of these
    trail-sustaining partnerships grows even as Congress' support for the
    trails has grown. In 2018 the trail organizations fostered 978,034
    hours of documented volunteer labor valued at $24,147,660 to help
    sustain the national scenic and historic trails. The organizations also
    raised private sector contributions of $14,489,472 for the trails.

        [This statement was submitted by Gary Werner, Executive Director.]
                                     ______

                   Prepared Statement of Preservation Action
        Chairman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall and Members of the
    subcommittee, on behalf of Preservation Action's more than 3,000
    members and supporters, I appreciate the opportunity to present written
    testimony on the Department of Interior's fiscal year 2020 for the
    National Park Service and its historic preservation programs. Founded
    in 1974, Preservation Action is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization
    created to serve as the national grassroots advocacy organization for
    historic preservation. We represent an active and engaged grassroots
    constituency from across the country, and we appreciate the opportunity
    to provide their perspective.
        The U.S. Congress listened to the American people in 1966 when it
    enacted the National Historic Preservation Act. Today, the Federal
    legislation and programs created through it serve as the backbone for
    the historic preservation industry. For over 50 years, the NHPA and the
    historic preservation field has demonstrated a proven track record of
    saving places Americans value, revitalizing communities, reusing
    infrastructure, telling American history for the public benefit of all.
    Continued funding to the National Park Service and the programs it
    executes is vitally important for America's past to help shape our
    future.
        Preservation Action's mission is to make historic preservation a
    national priority. For 45 years we've advocated for sound preservation
    policy, including two of the most important tools for historic
    preservation--the Historic Preservation Fund and the Federal Historic
    Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HTC).
    National Park Service: Historic Preservation Fund
        The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) is the principal source of
    funding to implement the Nation's historic preservation programs. Since
    1976 the HPF has helped to recognize, save, revitalize and protect
    America's historic resources. Preservation Action is extraordinarily
    grateful for the strong support Congress and especially this Committee,
    have shown for the HPF in recent years, including fiscal year 2019's
    $102.66 million, the highest level of HPF funding in history. The HPF
    provides funding to States and Tribes to carry out their federally
    mandated duties and supports critically important competitive grant
    programs that empowers States and local communities to preserve places
    that help to tell a more complete American story.
        Preservation Action urges this subcommittee to fund the Historic
    Preservation Fund in fiscal year 2020's Department of Interior budget
    at the following level:

      --$60 million for State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) for
            heritage preservation and protection programs that create jobs,
            economic development, and community revitalization. In
            partnership with the Federal Government, SHPOs carry out the
            primary functions of the National Historic Preservation Act
            including--finding and documenting America's historic places,
            making nominations to the National Register, providing
            assistance on rehabilitation tax credit projects, reviewing
            impacts of Federal projects, working with local governments,
            and conducting preservation education and planning.
            Additionally, States are required to match at least 40 percent
            of the money they receive from the HPF.
      --$20 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs).
            THPOs are designated by federally recognized Tribal governments
            that have entered into an agreement with the Department of the
            Interior to assume the Federal compliance role of the SHPO on
            their respective Tribal lands. Tribal historic preservation
            plans are based on traditional knowledge and cultural values,
            and may involve projects to improve Indian schools, roads,
            health clinics and housing. Funding levels have not kept pace
            with the growing number of Indian Tribes with THPO programs,
            resulting in a lower average grants per Tribe.
      --$5 million for competitive grants for SHPOs and THPOs to invest in
            geographic information systems-based mapping of historic
            resources (New program). 21st century digital maps would allow
            project planners to know where cultural resources have already
            been located and where they are likely to be identified. It
            would encourage early participation in project planning,
            enabling SHPOs and THPOs to work with project sponsors to plan,
            design, and develop projects that avoid harm to historic
            resources, lessen conflict, and expedite project delivery.
      --$30 million for Civil Rights Initiative Competitive Grants. A
            competitive grant program to preserve the sites and stories of
            Civil Rights in America. $20 million of these funds would have
            to be used to preserve the sites and stories of the African
            American Civil Rights movement.
      --$10 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
            Funding would provide grants to Historically Black Colleges and
            Universities (HBCUs) to preserve and repair historic buildings
            on the campuses of HBCUs.
      --$15 million for Save America's Treasures Program. Save America's
            Treasures grants program help preserve nationally significant
            historic properties and collections that convey our Nation's
            rich heritage to future generations of Americans
      --$7.5 million for Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program. The
            purpose of the program is to rehabilitate and preserve historic
            resources, while fostering economic development of rural
            communities.
      --$1 million for the Under-Represented Communities Grant Program.
            These competitive grants support the survey and nomination of
            properties to the National Register of Historic Places and as
            National Historic Landmarks associated with communities
            currently under-represented.

      Total Historic Preservation Fund Request: Fiscal year 2020 $148.5
            million

    Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit
        The Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HTC), administered by SHPOs
    and the NPS, is the most significant Federal investment in historic
    preservation. Since its creation more than 35 years ago, the HTC has
    been a catalyst for development with the rehabilitation of more than
    44,000 buildings across the Nation. Since inception, the HTC has
    created over 2.5 million jobs and leveraged over $144 billion in
    private investment. In addition to revitalizing communities and
    spurring economic growth, the HTC returns more to the Treasury than it
    costs. In fact, Treasury receives $1.25 in tax revenue for every dollar
    invested. The HTC has helped to rehabilitate historic structures and
    revitalize communities in all 50 States, the District of Columbia,
    Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands. From helping to rehabilitate
    the Brown and Hawkins building in Seward, AK, the oldest store in
    Alaska, to the Mill No. 1 project in Baltimore, Maryland, the Historic
    Tax Credit is helping communities rebound and recapture their economic
    vitality as well as provide creative uses for old buildings and
    stimulate job growth.
        In 2017, tax reform legislation preserved the 20 percent HTC, but
    changed it so that it is spread over 5 years at 4 percent per year.
    While we are incredibly grateful the HTC was retained, the changes made
    decreased the overall value of the tax credit. Preservation Action and
    its national members urge Congress to protect the Historic Tax Credit,
    look for opportunities to improve and enhance the program, and continue
    to support the HTC by sufficiently funding SHPOs and the NPS who
    administer the program.
    Preservation Partnership Program: National Heritage Areas
        We'd also like to express our support for the Preservation
    Partnership Program which supports National Heritage Areas nationwide.
    Designated by Congress, National Heritage Areas (NHAs) are community-
    driven sites that weave cultural, natural, and historic resources
    together to tell nationally significant stories. NHAs rely on public-
    private funding where every Federal dollar allocated is matched with an
    average of $5.50 in public and private funds. Preservation Action
    greatly appreciates Congress and this Committee's continued support of
    NHAs, especially considering the program was proposed for significant
    cuts or elimination the last few years.
        We'd also like to thank Congress and this committee for their
    passage of S.47, John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and
    Recreation Act. This bill included several important pieces of
    legislation such permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water
    Conservation Fund (LWCF) and authorization of the HBCU preservation
    program. Additionally, S.47 established 6 new National Heritage Areas.
        While we appreciate the importance shown by recognizing these 6 new
    NHAs, funding has not kept pace. Since 2004 the number of NHAs have
    doubled while funding for the program has only increased by 33 percent.
        To bring funding in line with the increased number of NHAs,
    Preservation Action requests, in accordance with the National Alliance
    of National Heritage Areas, $32 million for National Heritage Areas
    through the Preservation Partnership Program in the fiscal year 2020
    Department of Interior's budget.
    Conclusion
        Preservation Action appreciates the opportunity to provide our
    views on the fiscal year 2020 Department of Interior budget. We work
    closely with a broad cross-section of preservation professionals from
    the State and local level and are pleased to be able to add their
    perspective as the Committee considers funding levels.
        Preservation Action continues to value the dedicated work of
    National Park Service employees, the partnership of the Advisory
    Council on Historic Preservation as well as the instrumental work of
    SHPOs and THPOs in preserving America's cultural heritage.
        Thank you for valuing the input of the preservation community as
    you consider the fiscal year 2020 Department of Interior budget. We
    look forward to working with the committee and are happy to answer any
    questions you may have.

        [This statement was submitted by Russ Carnahan, President.]
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the Public Employees for Environmental
                                 Responsibility

    February 25, 2019

    Sen. Lisa Murkowski                         Sen. Joe Manchin
    Chairman                                    Ranking Member
    Committee on Energy and Natural Resources   Committee on Energy and
    304 Dirksen Senate Building                  Natural Resources
    Washington, DC 20510                        306 Hart Senate Office
                                                 Building
                                                Washington D.C. 20510

    Sen. Tom Udall                              Rep. Raul M. Grijalva
    Ranking Member                              Chairman
    Appropriations Subcommittee on Department   Natural Resources Committee
     of the Interior, Environment, and Related  1324 Longworth House Office
     Agencies                                    Building
    531 Hart Senate Office Building             Washington, DC 20515
    Washington DC, 20510

    Rep. Rob Bishop                             Rep. Deb Haaland
    Ranking Member                              Chairman
    Natural Resources Committee                 Natural Resources
    123 Cannon House Office Building             Subcommittee on National
    Washington, DC 20515                         Parks, Forests, and Public
                                                 Lands
                                                1237 Longworth House Office
                                                 Building
                                                Washington, DC 20515

    Rep. Betty McCollum                         Rep. David Joyce
    Chair                                       Ranking Member
    Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior,    Appropriations Subcommittee
     Environment, and Related Agencies           on Interior, Environment,
    2007 Rayburn House Office Building           and Related Agencies
    Washington, DC 20515                        1337 Longworth House Office
                                                 Building
                                                Washington, DC 20515

    Dear Members:

        I am writing you on behalf of Public Employees for Environmental
    Responsibility (PEER) to alert you to unannounced developments within
    the National Park Service (NPS) which, we believe, merit your
    attention. Numerous sources have informed us that NPS is quietly moving
    to reduce the training required of its permanent law enforcement
    rangers.
        We are attaching a report written by retired agency law enforcement
    professionals. It details the steps the NPS is taking steps to abandon
    mandatory attendance by its permanent law enforcement rangers in the
    academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). The
    agency is instead seeking to principally rely on seasonal law
    enforcement training programs independently operated at non-NPS
    facilities, such as community colleges, across the country.
        Congress' charter for the FLETC declared that its purpose is to
    fill ``an urgent need for high-quality, cost-effective training by a
    cadre of professional instructors using modern training facilities and
    standardized course content.'' PEER believes that this NPS move
    undermines this express intent of Congress.
        Significantly, this shift would reverse a nearly 50-year trend
    towards steadily upgrading the training and professionalism in the NPS
    law enforcement ranger corps. As we understand it, the purpose of the
    NPS plan is to reduce training costs by--

      --Compressing a 16-week training regimen into 12 weeks;
      --Forcing rangers to pay for their own basic training. Seasonal
            academy tuitions range from four to seven thousand dollars,
            which not all can afford; and
      --Skimping on facilities and equipment. FLETC has a world-class
            laboratory, driving range, and structures for realistic
            simulations that seasonal facilities lack. For example, at one
            school trainees must use their personal vehicles for traffic
            stops. Others simulate stops with classroom chairs.

        Apart from reduced levels of training, the report raises questions
    about the quality of training offered by these seasonal academies which
    claim to be accredited but--

      --Accreditation addresses standardization of curriculum and does not
            assure equivalency of training or the student's actual learning
            experience; and
      --Many instructors are recruited ``ad hoc'' from nearby law
            enforcement agencies and are frequently unfamiliar with Federal
            law and/or NPS policies and manual requirements.

        Under this plan, the Park Service would be the only Federal land
    management agency not using FLTEC. Moreover, the U.S. Forest Service,
    Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management all train
    their permanent law enforcement personnel at FLETC, typically in
    classes including NPS ranger cadets. Removal of the NPS contingent
    would constrain the training schedules for these other agencies.
        It should be noted that national park rangers have one of the most
    dangerous jobs in Federal service. The challenges facing today's law
    enforcement rangers are increasingly varied and complex, demanding more
    and better training, not less.
        In addition, park ranger ranks have steadily fallen over the past
    decade even as the number of park units and visitation keeps rising.
    Thus, today's rangers are required to handle more cases and cover more
    ground with ever falling force levels.
        This sea-change is taking place behind closed doors without
    consulting affected staff. Nor do we believe that the NPS has informed
    Congress about this move--hence this letter.
        PEER requests that you contact the NPS about this subject and
    request a full briefing on its plans. In addition, we believe that a
    public airing of this plan would be beneficial. Your oversight would be
    most timely if initiated before this stealth downgrade is completed. As
    you know, the National Park Service still lacks a confirmed director.
    PEER maintains that major changes like these should await the arrival
    of permanent leadership.
        Thank you for your attention to this matter. Should you desire any
    additional information please do not hesitate to contact me.

    Sincerely,

    Jeff Ruch
    Executive Director
                                     ______

              Prepared Statement of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians
        Thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony
    concerning the fiscal year 2020 appropriations for American Indian and
    Alaskan Native programs. My name is David Z. Bean, Vice Chairman of the
    Tribal Council for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. The Puyallup Tribe is
    an independent sovereign nation having historically negotiated with
    several foreign nations, including the United States in the Medicine
    Creek Treaty of 1854. This relationship is rooted in Article I, Section
    8, of the United States Constitution, Federal laws and numerous
    Executive Orders. The governing body of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians
    is the Puyallup Tribal Council which upholds the Tribe's sovereign
    responsibility of self-determination and self-governance for the
    benefit of the 5,427 Puyallup Tribal members and the 25,000 plus
    members from approximately 355 federally recognized Tribes who utilize
    our services. The Puyallup Reservation is located in the urbanized
    Seattle-Tacoma area of the State of Washington. The 18,061-acre
    reservation is a ``checkerboard'' of Tribal lands, Indian-owned fee
    land and non-Indian owned fee land. Our reservation land includes parts
    of six different municipalities (Tacoma, Fife, Milton, Puyallup,
    Edgewood and Federal Way).
        The Puyallup Tribe operates healthcare, social services, law
    enforcement and corrections, education, and myriad other programs and
    services for its Tribal citizens and individuals within its program and
    service areas. These programs depend on continued resources and support
    through Federal appropriations--which reflect the Federal trust and
    treaty obligations with American Indian and Alaska Native people and
    our Tribes. This subcommittee is well aware of how years of
    chronically-inadequate funding for Indian program and the effects of
    inflation have impacted Tribes' ability to fully exercise self-
    determination and self-governance. We are certainly feeling those
    effects at the Puyallup Tribe. We therefore appreciate this
    subcommittee's continued rejection of worrying statements and budget
    requests from the administration to reduce or zero-out critical Indian
    programs. We also urge the subcommittee to build on the increases
    included in the recent Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019 to help
    close the gap between available funding and Tribes' actual needs.
        We also applaud Congress' use of indefinite appropriations for
    contract support costs and support the continued use of this practice.
                               specific concerns
    Department of Interior--Bureau of Indian Affairs
        Public Safety & Justice: Tribal and BIA detention and corrections
    funding is of critical importance to the Puyallup Tribe. In fiscal year
    2009, the Puyallup Tribe received a $7.9 million Department of Justice
    ARRA grant to construct a 28-bed adult corrections facility.
    Construction on the facility was completed in February 2014 and came
    online in May 2014. Since then, the Puyallup Tribe has worked closely
    with the BIA-Office of Justice Services National and Regional staff to
    identify the operating and staffing costs associated with the Puyallup
    Tribe's new adult corrections facility. When the Tribe submitted its
    initial Public Law 93-638 contract request to the BIA, the agreed upon
    estimated cost of operating the facility (including Pre-Award, Start-
    up, Transitional funding, Staffing, and O&M) was set at $2.6 million
    annually. However, the BIA only offered approximately $715,136 to the
    Tribe in fiscal year 2018 base funding. This represents only 27 percent
    of the Tribe's actual need for running the facility. The Tribe is
    currently in the process of submitting an updated contract request to
    continue with the program, and we expect that the BIA will still only
    pay a small fraction of our actual need.
        In this context, we are concerned with the administration's
    repeated requests to reduce appropriations for BIA Public Safety &
    Justice, including Detention & Corrections--this funding already is not
    sufficient to allow the BIA to fund programs at true need. We
    appreciate the subcommittee's increase of $2.5 million above the fiscal
    year 2018 enacted level for fiscal year 2019, rather than accepting the
    administration's requested cuts, and urge the subcommittee to build on
    this increase in fiscal year 2020. Public safety is especially critical
    in Indian Country, but we also have a duty to provide a safe
    environment for corrections personnel and individuals serving a period
    of incarceration.
        In addition, we operate a Tribal Court program through a Public Law
    93-638 contract with the BIA. Our base BIA funding for this program has
    remained at $194,996 since fiscal year 2015. Like the Detention &
    Corrections funding, this amount represents only a small amount of the
    Tribe's needs to fully operate the Tribal Court program. For fiscal
    year 2019, the Tribe has allocated $1.923 million of Tribal funds for
    the Tribal Court budget. We therefore commend the subcommittee on its
    effort to reject the administration's request to reduce appropriations
    for this important program by $8 million and instead increase it by
    $1.6 million for the fiscal year 2019 appropriations, and suggest that
    the subcommittee continue to support increased appropriations for
    Tribal Courts.
        Natural Resources Management: The Puyallup Tribe is the steward for
    the land and marine waters of our homeland, including our usual and
    accustomed fishing places and shellfish and wildlife areas. The United
    States has treaty, trust, and governmental obligations and
    responsibilities to manage natural resources for uses that are
    beneficial to the Tribal membership and the regional communities. Our
    resource management responsibilities cover thousands of square miles in
    the Puget Sound region of the State of Washington with an obligation to
    manage production of anadromous, non-anadromous fish, shellfish and
    wildlife resources. Unfortunately, despite our diligent program
    efforts, the fisheries resource is degrading, causing economic losses
    on Native and Non-native fishermen, as well as the surrounding
    communities.
        Existing levels of appropriations are simply inadequate to reverse
    the trend of resource/habitat degradation in Puget Sound and in other
    areas. A minimum funding level of $17.146 million is necessary for BIA
    Western Washington (Bolt) Fisheries Management program, and we urge the
    subcommittee to meet or exceed this amount for fiscal year 2020
    appropriations. Any increase in funding would provide new monies for
    shellfish, groundfish, enforcement, habitat, wildlife and other natural
    resource management needs. As the aboriginal owners and guardians of
    our lands and waters it is essential that adequate funding is provided
    to allow Tribes to carry out our inherent stewardship of these
    resources.
        The Puyallup Tribe also continues to operate a several salmon
    hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest/Puget Sound. These hatcheries
    benefit both Indian and non-Indian commercial and sport fisheries. We
    work cooperatively with the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission,
    neighboring Tribes, Federal agencies and State fishery managers to
    insure the success and sustainability of our hatchery programs. We are
    confident that the subcommittee will continue to reject the
    administration's requests for cuts to the Fish Hatcheries Operations
    and Fish Hatchery Maintenance budgets, and urge the subcommittee to
    fund these programs at or above $10.3 million for fiscal year 2020.
        And finally, the Timber, Fish and Wildlife (TFW) Supplemental and
    U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty programs have allowed for the
    expansion of Tribal participation in the State forest practice rules
    and regulations, as well as allowed Tribes to participate in inter-
    Tribal organizations to address specific treaties and legal cases which
    relate to multi-national fishing rights, harvest allocations, and
    resource management practices. We appreciate the $65 million fiscal
    year 2019 appropriation for Pacific Salmon recovery programs, and
    support continued and additional appropriations to implement the TFW
    Supplemental and Pacifica Salmon Treaty programs.
        Education: The Puyallup Tribe operates the pre-K to 12 Chief Leschi
    Schools which included a verified 2018-2019 School student enrollment
    of 640 + students, including the ECEAP and FACE programs. With an
    increasing number of pre-kindergarten enrollment, Chief Leschi Schools
    will exceed design capacity in the near future and additional education
    facility space will be necessary to provide quality educational
    services to the students and Tribal community. And in the meantime, the
    costs of operation and maintenance--including supplies, energy,
    structural, and student transportation--continue to increase. In fiscal
    year 2018, the Puyallup Tribe provided a $2.6 million subsidy for the
    operations and maintenance of Chief Leschi Schools.
        We are pleased that the subcommittee rejected the administration's
    proposed fiscal year 2019 $741 million budget request for the Bureau of
    Indian Education (BIE), which would have represented a decrease of $173
    million from the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. However, the fiscal
    year 2019 enacted level of $904.5 million will not meet the actual
    operational needs of Tribal education programs.
        The Puyallup Tribe strongly supports additional funding for the
    BIE, including at least $78 million for Tribal Grant Support Costs for
    Tribally Operated Schools; $109 million in facilities operations and
    $76 million in facilities maintenance for the School Facilities
    Account; $73 million for Student Transportation; and $431 million for
    Indian School Equalization Program formula funds.
        The BIA's great failing over the years, to our children's
    detriment, has been its recurring failure to request sufficient funds
    from Congress to maintain Tribally- and BIA-operated school facilities.
        Operations of Indian Programs & Tribal Priority Allocations: We are
    pleased that the subcommittee did not accept the administration's
    request to cut the BIA Operation of Indian Programs budget by $26.5
    million and instead increased the appropriation to $2.414 billion, an
    increase of $3.3 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. This
    funding is critical to the Puyallup Tribe and Tribes across the
    country. Tribal Priority Allocations (TPA) within the Operations of
    Indian Programs include the majority of funding used to support ongoing
    services at the ``local Tribal'' level, including; natural resources
    management, child welfare, other education, housing, and other Tribal
    government services. These functions have not received adequate and
    consistent funding to allow Tribes the resources to fully exercise
    self-determination and self-governance. Further, the small increases
    TPA has received over the past few years have not been adequate to keep
    pace with inflation. The Puyallup Tribe requests that the subcommittee
    increase funding for the Operation of Indian Programs and TPA at levels
    that reflect the increasing fixed costs, as well as inflation, and
    reject any requests to make cuts to the BIA budget.
        Department of Health and Human Services--Indian Health Service:
    Inadequate funding of the Indian Health Service is the most substantial
    impediment to the current Indian Health system. The Puyallup Tribe has
    been operating healthcare programs since 1976 through the Indian Self-
    determination Act, Public Law 93-638. The Puyallup Tribal Health
    Authority (PTHA) operates a comprehensive ambulatory care program to
    the Native American population in Pierce County, Washington. The
    current patient load exceeds 9,000, of which approximately 1,700 are
    Tribal members. There are no Indian Health Service hospitals in the
    Portland Area, so all specialties and hospital care have been paid for
    out of our contract care allocation. The Purchased/Referred Care (PRC)
    allocation to PTHA remains inadequate to meet the actual need. In
    fiscal year 2018, the Puyallup Tribe subsidized PRC with a $6.2 million
    contribution. In fiscal year 2019, the Tribal subsidy has grown to
    $10.9 million. Given that the PTHA service population is only comprised
    of 17 percent Puyallup Tribal members, Tribal budget priorities in
    fiscal year 2011 through 2018 has made continued subsidies to the PTHA
    financially difficult for the Puyallup Tribe.
        Given the importance of the PRC allocation, we urge the
    subcommittee to continue providing increased funding above and beyond
    the $2.1 million increase included in the recent fiscal year 2019
    appropriations measure. IHS funding, both PRC and otherwise, continues
    to lag far behind actual need; according to the National Indian Health
    Board (NIHB), IHS funding provides only about 1/5 of the total Tribal
    needs budget of $30 billion.
        As with the BIA and BIE, the IHS also continues to request too few
    funds to operate and maintain Tribally-operated and IHS-operated health
    facilities. In Indian Country, facility space is precious and must be
    maintained if Tribes are to provide essential government services to
    their members and other eligible American Indian and Alaska Native
    beneficiaries.
        The enacted fiscal year 2019 budget of $5.804 billion for the IHS
    is a step in the right direction, and we urge the subcommittee to
    continue on that path.

        [This statement was submitted by David Z. Bean, Vice-Chairman.]
                                     ______

           Prepared Statement of the Ramah Navajo School Board, Inc.
        Honorable Chairwoman and subcommittee Members, Ya'aht'eeh. I am
    Beverly J. Coho, President of the Ramah Navajo School Board, Inc., On
    behalf of the Ramah Navajo people I would like to thank you for the
    opportunity to provide our oral testimony.
        The People comprising the Ramah Band of Navajos--Tl' ohchini Dine'e
    the People of the Place of Wild Onions--have arrived in the 21st
    century intact, proud and independent. Having overcome a century of
    traumatic history that began with our ancestors perched on the
    precipice of extinction, followed by expropriation by foreign settlers
    of our ancestral lands and then decades of neglect by the institutions
    of Federal and Tribal governments, the Ramah Navajos made their mark in
    the last four decades of the 20th century by taking control of their
    own destiny--beginning with the establishment of the first Indian
    community school governed by an all-Indian, locally-controlled school
    board. The Federal Government recognizes the Ramah Navajo Community as
    a separate group, the Ramah Band of Navajo Indians, which has allowed
    the Community's institutions to apply directly for funding from various
    Federal sources, such as Workforce Development Services and Title IV
    programs. With over 40 years of institutional history, the Ramah Navajo
    School Board, Inc. has developed a unique capacity to administer its
    own programs and--true to its founding vision--to educate its own
    people. The Ramah Navajo School Board, Inc., has become a vital
    organization in providing education, medical, mental and a myriad of
    social and community services needed in western portion of New Mexico
    and by helping us, we help all at less cost and better services.

        In order to continue to provide these vital services we ask
    Congress for the following:

        1.  The Government Shutdown has had a disruptive impact on our
    organization. In order to prevent future harm, we ask that Congress
    provide advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service and Bureau
    of Indian Affairs. There was little impact on our school, because most
    BIE accounts are forwarded funded (on a school year schedule).
        2.  Part of providing these services means having safe, adequate
    and usable facilities. Ours are not. We immediately need temporary
    portables to address the fact that both our kindergarten and library
    had to be closed because of black mold and also to address
    overcrowding--our middle school and high school are currently crammed
    into one building. In addition, dramatically and consistently increased
    funding under the BIA's Education Construction Budget is needed for
    Facilities Improvement and Repair; Replacement School Construction; and
    Replacement Facility Construction. The fiscal year 2019 Indian Affairs
    Budget Justification says there is a $634 million deferred maintenance
    backlog. With regard to school replacement, we understand that the BIA
    is just now finishing construction on the 2004 replacement priority
    list and has made some headway on the 2016 list. This progress is
    possible only because this subcommittee increased Education
    Construction appropriations. More is needed, however. Despite the fact
    that our school and supporting infrastructure are in desperate need of
    substantial repairs, most buildings need outright replacement, and our
    schools drinking water system is long past the end of its useful (and
    safe) lifespan, we did not make it onto either replacement list. Our
    school is unfortunately, like many others in the BIE system that have
    noncompliant access, safety and health issues.
        3.  With the trend of multiple school shootings, we are very
    concerned for the safety of our students and staff. Our campus is
    readily accessible without a security fence. We need to have control of
    who enters our campus.
                           how we serve our community
        Ramah Navajo School Board, Inc., being located in the western
    county of Cibola, has grown to not only provide services to its people,
    but to other non-Native people residing in neighboring counties of
    McKinley and Catron on the western portion of New Mexico. Our lands are
    ``checker boarded'' composed of private, State, Tribal, Federal, and
    Individual Indian Allotments. People have been moving into the area and
    require educational and health services. For instance, our Emergency
    Medical Services covers a 100-mile radius and has even responded to
    emergencies in the eastern State line of Arizona. We have worked hard
    in improving our EMS and we currently partnered with the University of
    New Mexico EMS Consortium to provide training and Emergency management
    oversite. This partnership has produced one of our own to become a
    paramedic and we are planning on having our paramedic be certified to
    become a trainer and have an UNM-EMS training center on-site in our
    community to assist five volunteer fire departments and other first
    responders. Our EMS is operating out of our federally qualified health
    center, Pine Hill Health Center (PHHC) which is the only ambulatory
    health center in the western portion of Cibola County. The closest IHS
    hospitals are in the Pueblo of Zuni, 90-mile round trip and in the town
    of Gallup, 120-mile round trip. In our area we have two national parks,
    three tribes, five to six villages and 5-6 volunteer fire departments.
                                  our history
        These feisty, determined and independent accomplishments will come
    as no surprise to any serious student of the historical and political
    circumstances confronted by the Ramah Navajo People. Dating from the
    time of the return to their ancestral homelands by the survivors of
    Hweeldi, the Long Walk of the 1860s that had removed hundreds of Navajo
    families from their homes and incarcerated them in the inhospitable
    plains of Bosque Redondo near Ft. Sumner in eastern New Mexico, the
    customary lands of the Ramah Navajos--Tl' ohchini--were never included
    in the lands established for the Navajo Reservation in the Treaty of
    1868 between the United States and the Navajo Tribe. Navajo occupancy
    of the lands to the north and in the vicinity of the current Village of
    Ramah was not legally recognized for many decades, and these lands were
    thus made available as ``open range'' for homesteading by non-Indian
    settlers. Mormon settlers began moving into the valley in 1876, and a
    series of land acquisitions by the settlers--legally recognized under
    American law--effectively pushed the Ramah Navajos onto the less
    fertile lands to the southeast.
                                   conclusion
        The Ramah Navajo People have come a long way on the road to self-
    determination and to establishing the capacity to govern and educate
    its own people and provide services to three counties in New Mexico.
    There is still a way to go on that road, and the best way to stay the
    course and to continue to make progress is to maintain the current
    institutional relationships that the community has forged with its
    Tribal, Federal and State partners.
        We look forward to your favorable consideration and plan to follow
    up on our testimony that we provided today. With your help, Ramah
    Navajo School Board, Inc., will continue to help all in our area.

    Thank you.

        To illustrate how a very modest Federal investment in our critical
    infrastructure could make a tremendous difference in the health and
    well-being of our students, our Priority Projects and Cost Estimates
    follow. These projects are essential and reflect our immediate needs.
    Project, Description and Estimated Cost
        1.  School Library Building
              a.  Leaking roof
              b.  Mold abatement

           Estimated Cost of Repair--$850,000

        2.  Kindergarten Building
              a.  Leaking roof
              b.  Mold Remediation
              c.   Asbestos Abatement
              d.  Window replacements
              e.   Bathrooms
              f.   Carpet replacement
              g.  HVAC

           Estimated Cost of Repair--$300,000

        3.  School Gymnasium
              a.  Leaking roof
              b.  Mold abatement
              c.   Insulation replacement
              d.  Floor Damage
              e.   Locker rooms renovation/replacement

           Estimated Cost of Repairs--$1,300,000

        4.  Campus Security
              a.  Perimeter Security Fence
              b.  Interior Security fence
              c.   Entrance Control
              d.  Security Cameras
              e.   Computers
              f.   Telephone

           Estimated Cost--$500,000

        5.  Water System Upgrade
              a.  Preliminary Engineer Report
              b.  Architecture and Engineer Design
              c.   Construction

           Estimated Cost--$4,450,000

    TOTAL PRIORITY PROJECT BUDGET--$7,400,000
                                     ______

                  Prepared Statement of the Recording Academy
        My name is Neil Portnow, I am the President/CEO of the Recording
    Academy, an organization that represents thousands of individual music
    creators and professionals--songwriters, performers, studio
    professionals, and others creatively involved in making music. I
    appreciate the opportunity to submit this testimony to the Senate
    Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and
    Related Agencies. For fiscal year 2020, I urge the subcommittee to fund
    the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at $167.5 million. For fiscal
    year 2020, I urge the subcommittee to concur with the recently marked-
    up House Appropriations bill and fund the National Endowment for the
    Arts (NEA) at $167.5 million.
        Throughout my tenure at the Recording Academy, it has been a
    privilege to support the NEA and its mission to provide all Americans
    with access to the arts. Every day the NEA enriches our culture and
    empowers our communities through music and art. As appropriators you
    have the power to ensure that the NEA can continue to strengthen the
    creative capacity of our towns, counties and cities--all for less than
    $1 per American per year.
        At a funding level of $167.5 million, the NEA will be able to
    spread diverse opportunities for arts participation across all 50
    States, while expanding its grant-making capacity that has proven to be
    a sound investment. In 2016, NEA funds yielded more than $500 million
    in matching support--leveraging outside funds at a ratio of 9:1. The
    agency is a lynchpin in America's arts economy that now accounts for
    more than $700 billion in economic activity.
        When it comes to music, the NEA is responsible for preserving
    America's rich musical legacy and remains invaluable in the development
    and education of our future music creators. Over the last decade, the
    NEA has supported more than $53 million in music related grants across
    all 50 States. From the Sitka Summer Music Festival in Alaska ($15,000,
    2018) to the Tallahassee Youth Orchestra ($10,000, 2017) in Florida;
    and from the Outpost Performance Space in New Mexico ($25,000, 2018) to
    the Yellow Barn ($10,000, 2018) in Vermont, the NEA has brought music
    to your back yard. It must be funded to ensure that Americans in all
    walks of life can continue to enjoy and participate in the American
    musical experience.
        I urge the subcommittee, and your colleagues in the Senate, to
    fully fund the NEA at $167.5 million, so that the agency can execute
    its mission and enshrine America's commitment to the arts and to music.
                                     ______

        Prepared Statement of the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency

    April 23, 2019

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski, Chair
    Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
    U.S. Senate
    Dirksen Office Building, SD-131
    Washington, DC 20510

    Senator Murkowski:

        This letter is written to express this agency's concern with the
    administration's fiscal year 2020 budget request to Congress which
    calls for steep cuts in funding to EPA, including a 33-percent
    reduction in Federal grants to State and local air pollution control
    agencies under Sections 103 and 105 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), for a
    total of $152 million. Such cuts would be devastating for many
    programs, including to the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency
    (RAPCA) in Dayton, Ohio.
        RAPCA appreciates the work by Congress to avoid budget cuts to
    State and local clean air agencies in fiscal year 2019, however RAPCA
    urges Congress to approve additional funding in fiscal year 2020 to
    carry out our important public health responsibilities.
        Federal grants to State and local air quality agencies are the same
    now as they were 15 years ago in fiscal year 2004--$228 million. If
    adjusted for inflation, level funding would translate to approximately
    $310 million in today's dollars. Therefore, we ask Congress to increase
    State and local air grants by $82 million above fiscal year 2019 levels
    (i.e., approximately $158 million above the administration's request),
    for a total of$310 million.
        RAPCA is part of the Public Health--Dayton and Montgomery County
    organization and is the local air pollution control agency serving
    Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Preble counties in
    southwest Ohio. RAPCA is directly funded by U.S. EPA to implement the
    Clean Air Act and we work closely with Ohio EPA to accomplish the
    functions of issuing required air permits, conducting facility
    inspections and monitoring air quality, among other Clean Air Act
    requirements.
        While great strides have been made in cleaning up the environment,
    air pollution remains a serious threat to public health. It causes tens
    of thousands of premature deaths in our country every year, as well as
    tens of millions of cases of adverse health impacts, such as cancer and
    damage to respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and reproductive
    systems. Under the Clean Air Act, State and local air pollution control
    agencies have the ``primary responsibility'' for preparing
    implementation strategies to address air pollution problems. These
    tasks include, among others, air quality monitoring, planning and
    modeling, compiling air emission inventories, adopting regulations,
    analyzing data, and inspecting facilities. In southwest Ohio, for
    example, we are particularly concerned about ozone pollution and
    assuring compliance of high-profile facilities such as the Stony Hollow
    Landfill and the Fairborn Cement Plant in addition to being responsive
    to industry business needs with regards to assisting facilities with
    obtaining requisite construction air permits. Accordingly, we work with
    the local Multi-Jurisdictional Planning Organization (MPO), the Miami
    Valley Regional Planning Commission to alert the public by issuing
    ozone air pollution advisories when air quality levels are concerning.
    We also perform enhanced inspections and ambient air monitoring of
    high-profile facilities, while continuing to meet ``routine'' Clean Air
    Act requirements.
        There are many challenges facing our agency in meeting the Clean
    Air Act requirements. Reductions in staffing levels and training, as
    well as staff retirements and retention are major obstacles to
    accomplishing our mission to protect public health. Since 2012, RAPCA
    has reduced staff by over 35 percent and additional cuts of the
    magnitude proposed by the administration would devastate our program
    and our ability to protect vulnerable populations from the harmful
    effects of air pollution as well as provide timely services to the
    regulated communities.
        Maintaining the air pollution control program locally provides
    stakeholders in our region with oppmiunities for input to a local
    entity responsible for the air program. RAPCA staff is committed to
    serving the community in which we live and dedicated to being more
    responsive to the requests from the public, the media, the business
    community, and to providing timelier service than the State. RAPCA is
    part of the Dayton region and we seek to improve the quality of life
    for all residents.
        RAPCA is doing its best to improve air quality and provide quality
    services to the regulated community but adequate Federal funding is
    critical. Please help promote public health by ensuring Federal grants
    to State and local air quality agencies are increased to keep pace with
    inflation. RAPCA recommends Congress provide fiscal year 2020 grants in
    the amount of $310 million ($158 million above the administration's
    request) to maintain level funding from fiscal year 2004 levels,
    adjusted to inflation. Thank you for any assistance you can offer in
    this matter.
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health,
                                      Inc.
        I am Teresa Sanchez and I am the Board Vice-President for
    Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc., located in
    Southern California. I am also a member of the California Area Tribal
    Advisory Council and a member of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.
    Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony concerning
    the health needs of Native Americans funded through appropriations to
    the Indian Health Service (IHS). The Riverside-San Bernardino County
    Indian Health, Inc., is a Tribal organization that provides health
    services to our member Tribes, including behavioral health, dental,
    diabetes programs, eye care, general medicine, nutrition, outreach and
    pediatrics.
                      increased funding for tribal clinics
        There is a desperate need for increased funding for Tribal clinics
    to keep pace with inflation and population growth. Despite the large
    increases in the overall IHS budget in fiscal year 2018, our Tribal
    organization received no increase above our fiscal year 2017
    allocation. We had anticipated a $1.5 million to $2 million increase
    based on the national IHS budget receiving an overall 9.9 percent
    increase that year, but instead we were flat funded. Even worse, we did
    not find out the final amount we would receive until the last day of
    the fiscal year--after services had been provided and costs had been
    incurred. This situation is untenable if we are going to continue
    providing the same level of services to the over 15,000 patients we
    serve each year. For this reason, we support advance appropriations.
        This problem has been exacerbated by agency decisions to reallocate
    funds that were appropriated to ensure Tribal clinics can keep up with
    the rising costs of medical care. For instance, in fiscal year 2018,
    the Acting IHS Director reallocated $25 million of inflation funding to
    pay for the unfunded costs of new section 105(l) leases. These funds
    should have come to the clinics for base direct services funding.
    Instead, IHS issued a consultation request with only 12 working days to
    respond after the July 4th holiday. That is not meaningful
    consultation. And, to compound matters, IHS did not inform the Tribes
    of its final funding decision until mid-September. Moreover, IHS had
    $33 million of unspent funding in the discretionary CHEF account (more
    on that below), which they could have used to cover this shortfall, but
    instead chose to roll that over into the next fiscal year, leaving
    Tribal clinics coming up short. We raised the lack of transparency at
    the national IHS level with the Acting Director and have received
    unsatisfactory responses.
        We ask that funds be appropriated for general base increases for
    population growth and inflation rather than specific targeted increases
    that the agency considers ``non-recurring'' or that only benefit
    special projects.
     increased purchased/referred care (prc) funding for ``prc dependent''
                                     areas
        Four of the 12 Indian Health Services (IHS) Areas are designated
    ``PRC dependent,'' meaning they have little or no access to an IHS or
    tribally-operated hospital, and therefore must purchase all or a large
    portion of inpatient and specialty healthcare from non-Tribal providers
    at significantly higher cost.
        Our region, the California Area, has no Tribal hospitals and since
    we receive only limited PRC funding, we often run out of funds well
    before the end of each fiscal year. This leads to the outright denial
    or rationing of critically-needed inpatient and other specialty health
    services. However, the formula used to allocate PRC funding to
    different IHS Areas tends to treat our clinics just like those in the
    remaining eight IHS areas, where PRC dollars are used to supplement
    care provided at nearby IHS hospitals.
        The current IHS PRC allocation formula places the ``PRC Dependent''
    designation and ability to access care factor in the lowest-priority
    Program Increases category. Since the Base Funding category gets funded
    first, followed by the Annual Adjustment category, and then the Program
    Increases category, the Program Increases category hardly ever receives
    an increase.
        The large appropriations for the Indian Health Care Improvement
    Fund in recent years has failed to change this situation, even though
    eliminating inequities in funding for PRC is a key goal of that Fund.
    See 25 U.S.C Sec. 1621(a)(4). We ask that IHS be directed to address
    access to care issues and prioritize this factor in the PRC formula so
    we no longer have to deny necessary care to our patients due to funding
    shortfalls.
                    changing the threshold for chef funding
        For years, Tribal advocates have pushed for lowering the threshold
    to access the Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund (CHEF). This fund pays
    for catastrophic medical costs that rise above $25,000; any bills that
    do not reach that limit are the sole responsibility of Tribal clinics
    using their limited PRC funding. The IHS Acting Director has not moved
    forward on the recommendation to reduce the threshold from $25,000 to
    $19,000, which would provide some relief to Tribal PRC budgets, even
    though the issue has gone out for comments twice in the Federal
    Register.
        The Acting IHS Director justified his actions by stating that in
    order to change the threshold, the agency must consider an inflation
    factor and with the inflation factor they were using, it would take 10
    years to catch up to the existing threshold of $25,000, leaving access
    to the funds limited by Tribal clinics in the meantime. However, Tribal
    representatives pointed out that a great deal could change over the
    next 10 years and the program had a $33,000,000 surplus for fiscal year
    2018, so there is no reason to starve Tribal programs that in turn have
    to cut services or deny care entirely due to a lack of funding. We ask
    that you instruct the agency to lower the CHEF threshold.
        We thank you for your time and consideration.

        [This statement was submitted by Teresa Sanchez, Board Vice-
    President.]
                                     ______

                  Prepared Statement of the Sac and Fox Nation
        On behalf of the Sac and Fox Nation, thank you for the opportunity
    to present our requests for the fiscal year 2020 Budgets for the Bureau
    of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Indian Health Service (IHS), and for the
    Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Sac and Fox Nation has
    participated in Self-Governance within the Department of the Interior
    since 1991, and in 1993, became the very first Tribe to enter into a
    Self-Governance compact with Indian Health Service. Historically, the
    Indian Affairs budget requests have given very little consideration to
    the funding needs of Self-Governance Tribes. Although efforts had been
    underway to change that, the current administration removed Tribal
    unmet needs from budget consideration. Self-Governance Tribes are
    operating Federal programs; we request that the BIA be required to
    include documentation of Tribal unmet needs with all budget requests.
    We further request the removal of appropriations language that
    prohibits Tribal access to shares of the BIA Central Office as provided
    for in the Indian Self-Determination Education Assistance Act. The Sac
    and Fox Nation requests advance, mandatory appropriations for Tribal
    programs, especially BIA and IHS line items. The recent extended
    shutdown of the Federal Government placed an unnecessary financial
    burden on Tribes at the local level where services are actually
    provided and most needed. At a minimum, BIA and IHS funding for Tribal
    programs should be exempt from any budget rescissions, sequestrations
    and unilateral budget reductions that are not equally assessed to all
    other funding beneficiaries.
    Tribal Specific Requests:
        A.  +$35,000 increase to our Tribal General Assistance Program
    (GAP)--EPA--The GAP program the Sac and Fox Nation is currently
    administering is $115,000.
        B.  +$20,000 increase to our solid waste and recycling funding
        C.  +$35,000--EPA--The country's largest system of pipeline
    infrastructure (the ``Pipeline Crossroads of the World'' in Cushing OK)
    is in Sac and Fox jurisdiction and we need funding to monitor our
    natural resources and ensure the safety of our citizens.
        D.  $4.95 million to Fully Fund Operations and Maintenance of the
    Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center (SFNJDC)--Public Safety
    and Justice--Office of Justice Services--Detention/Corrections Facility
    Operations and Maintenance Account--BIA
        E.  +$120,000 recurring funding increase specifically for Tribal
    Court to fund one (1) additional FTE and additional court dates to
    cover the increased caseload from expansion of VAWA and TLOA
    authorities.
        F.  +$180,000 recurring funding increase for Indian Child Welfare
    to fund additional licensed social workers due to dramatically
    increased caseload.
    Tribal Specific Requests
        A.  +$35,000 to our Tribal General Assistance Program (GAP)--EPA
              We request a $35,000 increase to support sufficient staff
    (1.5-2 FTEs) and to meet the needs of the community. The demand for our
    Office of Environmental Services has dramatically escalated and created
    a shortage of available resources to meet the demand. Base should be at
    least $175,000. The program's purpose is to assist Tribes in building
    capacity to assume EPA responsibilities. The funding needs to be
    provided as stable base funding, complete with CSC, through the
    Nation's funding agreement instead of as a grant.
        B.  +$20,000 increase to fund solid waste and recycling--EPA
              In May of 2013, the EPA released the GAP Guidance, to help
    set a national framework for how GAP funding may be used. Included was
    the directive that GAP funds could no longer be spent on the operation
    and maintenance of solid waste implementation activities. EPA required
    that Tribes build self-sustaining solid waste programs supported by
    other funding sources by 2017. Tribal leaders expressed concern that
    the 2017 deadline would be too quick to transition to an alternative
    model to fund solid waste management. No other funding sources were set
    in place of GAP to cover the services that Tribes had been providing
    for their communities since 2002. In the fiscal year 2016 Consolidated
    Appropriations Act, an extension was granted, giving Tribes until 2020
    to transition to different funding sources for their solid waste
    operations and backhaul. Beginning in fiscal year 2021, Tribal solid
    waste programs will no longer be able to use GAP funds for these
    specific efforts. Sac and Fox Nation supported the lifting of the 2020
    moratorium, so we would no longer be prohibited from using GAP funding
    to support solid waste programs. However, after the moratorium was
    lifted, the budget was then cut by $10,000.00. There still remains a
    lack of adequate funding for our solid waste and recycling program.
        C.  $35,000--Pipeline Crossroads of the World--Located in the Sac
    and Fox jurisdiction--funding needed to ensure that we can monitor our
    natural resources and ensure the safety of our citizens.
              The environmental impacts to our community can be significant
    and life threatening. We have been collaborating with the private
    pipeline entities in the area; we are the best party to monitor our
    natural resources. Adequate funding will allow us to do this and remove
    barriers to economic development while ensuring safety of our citizens
    and preservation of our land.
        D.  $4.95 million to Fully Fund Operations and Maintenance of the
    Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center (SFNJDC)--Bureau of Indian
    Affairs--Public Safety and Justice--Office of Justice Services--
    Detention/Corrections Facility Operations and Maintenance Account
              In 1996, the Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center
    (SFNJDC) opened its doors as the first regional juvenile facility
    specifically designed for American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN), as
    well as the first juvenile facility developed under Public Law 100-472,
    the Self-Governance Demonstration Project Act. At that time, the BIA
    made a commitment to fully fund the SFNJDC operations; however, this
    commitment was never fulfilled. Even though the Nation continues to
    receive and use Federal dollars to address the issue of juvenile
    delinquency and detention for Tribes in the Southern Plains Region and
    Eastern Oklahoma Region, it has never received sufficient funds to
    operate the facility at its fullest potential, including funds for
    proper facility maintenance. We do not understand the Federal
    Government's desire to fund the construction of more detention
    facilities while our beds remain empty.
              The SFNJDC is a 50,000+ square foot, full service, 24 hour,
    60 bed (expandable to 120 beds) juvenile detention facility that
    provides basic detention services, utilizing a classification system
    based on behavioral needs to include special management, medium and
    minimal security. Through a partnership with the local high school,
    students are afforded an education. Additionally, the Sac and Fox
    Nation has an on-site Justice Center providing Law Enforcement and
    Tribal Court services and the Nation also operates an on-site health
    clinic which provides outstanding medical services that include
    contract service capabilities for optometry, dental and other health-
    related services.
              Full funding would allow the Nation to provide full
    operations including (but not limited to):

            -- Juvenile placement and detention services at no cost to the
            46 Tribes in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and
            Arkansas.
            -- Re-establish and fully fund programs we have lost such as:
            On-site Mental Health Counseling; Transitional Living,
            Vocational Training, Horticulture, Life Skills, Arts and
            Crafts, Cultural Education and Activities, Spiritual Growth and
            Learning;
            -- Maintain and expand staff training to improve retention and
            allow for continuity in operations and service delivery.

              Inadequate funding and decreases in base funding have
    resulted in underutilization and erosion of the programs our facility
    was built to offer. The current funding level represents only
    approximately 10 percent of what is needed to fully fund the SFNJDC
    operations and maintenance. Additional funding in the amount of $4.6
    million, over what Sac and Fox already receives in base funding
    ($354,622), would fully fund the facility at a level sufficient to
    address the juvenile placement and detention needs in the six-State
    area.
        E.  $120,000 recurring funding increase for Tribal Court Expanded
    authorities under VAWA and TLOA have dramatically increased the
    Nation's Court case workload. The Nation requests a recurring funding
    increase to cover the expense of one (1) new FTE at the Tribal Court
    and the expense of additional monthly court dates to meet demand.
        F.  $180,000 recurring funding increase for Indian Child Welfare
              The Nation's current caseload involves over 100 children for
    two (2) social workers. The recommended number of cases per social
    worker is 17, whereas ours is 50+. The requested funding increase would
    allow the hiring of additional social workers at competitive pay and
    also decrease the individual workload, thereby increasing the quality
    of services.
    2. NATIONAL REQUESTS--BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
        A.  Concern: lack of access to administrative law judges for
    probate.
        B.  Fully fund all provisions of the TLOA that authorizes
    additional funding for law and order programs that affect Tribal
    Nations.
        C.  Allocate $83 million in additional funding to the BIA to
    increase base funding for Tribal courts, including courts in Public Law
    280 jurisdictions, and to incrementally move towards fully meeting the
    need for Tribal court funding.
        D.  Increase funding for Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law
    enforcement and detention by at least $200 million over the fiscal year
    2017 funding level of $353 million, including an increase in funds for
    officer recruitment and training and for Tribal detention facilities
    operations and maintenance.
        E.  Increase Tribal Base Funding (instead of through grants).
    Provide increases via Tribal base funding instead of through grants to
    Tribal governments. Grant funding, particularly inside the BIA, is not
    consistent with the intent of Tribal self-determination.
    3. NATIONAL REQUESTS--INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE
        A.  $6.4 billion Mandatory Funding (maintain current services) a 26
    percent increase over the fiscal year 2017 enacted amount. IHS should
    be considered an essential function, and be exempt from government
    shutdowns.
        B.  Opioid Funding--Increase funding and include Tribal set asides
    in any funding decisions to states. Addressing the opioid epidemic is a
    nationwide priority. American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) face
    opioid related fatalities three times the rate for Blacks and Hispanic
    Whites.
        C.  Oppose moving Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) into
    the discretionary spending from the mandatory account.
        The Sac and Fox Nation supports the National Requests of the
    National Congress of American Indians, the National Indian Health Board
    and the National Indian Education Association. Thank you for allowing
    me to submit these requests on the fiscal year 2020 Budgets.

        [This statement was submitted by the Honorable Kay Rhoads,
    Principal Chief.]
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation
    Madam Chair Murkowski & Ranking Member Udall:

        The attached statement is respectfully submitted on behalf of the
    Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation urging the subcommittee to
    include fiscal year 2020 report language advising the National Park
    Service that the agency has mistakenly classified the National Historic
    District as a ``National Heritage Area'' contrary to the clear
    congressional intent.
        Title VI of Public Law 104-333 established the Shenandoah Valley
    Battlefields National Historic District with the explicit intent of
    creating a first-of-its kind public-private partnership for protection
    and management of nationally significant cultural heritage landscapes,
    referred to in the statute as a new ``management entity'', instead of
    authorizing the National Park Service to acquire and manage the lands
    in all of the Valley battlefields, as would have been the traditional
    approach.
        This new management entity is the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields
    Foundation (SVBF).
        Section 606 (j) of Public Law 104-333 includes authorization of 3
    separate line-items of funding for the programs and activities of the
    ``management entity''--the Foundation:

      --Not more than $2 million annually for grants and technical
            assistance,
      --not more than $2 million annually for land acquisition, and
      --to the management entity not more than $500,000 annually.

        As stated in the 2019 House Department of Interior, Environment &
    Related Agencies Appropriations Bill at https://www.congress.gov/115/
    crpt/hrpt765/CRPT-115hrpt765.pdf.
        ``Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District.--The
    Committee recognizes the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National
    Historic District covering eight counties in the Commonwealth of
    Virginia, and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation that
    manages and protects it, as a unique model for the protection and
    preservation of nationally significant sites. The Committee urges the
    National Park Service to work with the District and the authorizing
    committees of jurisdiction to ensure that authorities provided under
    the District's enabling legislation are fully utilized to maximize the
    effectiveness of this unique and proven public-private partnership.''
        The National Park Service, in our view, has mistakenly classified
    SVBF, both our programs and funding, as a national heritage area (NHA)
    and has only sought funding in the President's budget for SVBF as a
    discretionary allocation from the lump-sum line-item appropriated to
    support all of the NHA programs.
        54 USC Ch. 3201 clearly classifies the Shenandoah Valley
    Battlefields National Historic District as a National Battlefield Site
    and NOT as a National Heritage Area. http://uscode.house.gov/
    view.xhtml?req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title54-
    chapter3201&edition=prelim
        We believe SVBF should have a distinct line-item appropriation as
    do the other listed National Battlefield Sites and be increased towards
    the level of funding that Congress intended to provide. We hope that
    both Congress and the administration would recognize that for this
    unique model to be successful and to affirm the authorization of this
    ``better way'' to conserve and manage nationally significant heritage
    landscapes for the future through public-private partnerships, the
    funding levels that Congress intended are essential.
        By every measure the Foundation has been a success. Over 8,000
    acres have been preserved throughout the Shenandoah Valley. The
    Foundation manages over 5,000 of those acres; has developed and manages
    battlefield parks; is constructing a visitor's center in Winchester and
    operates the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum. The Foundation
    provides renowned conferences tours and interpretive programs;
    routinely engages community and youth groups; generate hundreds of
    thousands of dollars in private donations and has increased tourism in
    a measurably significant way throughout the historic district.
    What is important about the programs of SVBF?
        Preserving Our Battlefields Preserves Our Nation's Story.--The
    preservation and interpretation of our Nation's Civil War Battlefields
    is increasingly more important. These protected lands serve as outdoor
    classrooms where generations can gather together and draw meaning,
    strength, and inspiration from our past. Continual national reflection
    and introspection is essential for the future of our country. Our
    battlefields provide us with a tangible link to our history of
    sacrifice and struggle and give us the forum to discuss ideas and
    ideals. The preservation of our Civil War battlefields is more about
    our future than our past--ensuring that the memory of that conflict is
    never forgotten, and the lessons never lost.
        These preservation efforts also result in many environmental
    outdoor recreation benefits. Improvement of water quality, protection
    of rural agricultural landscapes, and development of historic walking
    trails all benefit the American citizens.
    What is unique about SVBF?
        The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District was
    established by Congress in 1996 as an idea ahead of its time--an idea
    whose time has come. The District was established as a public private
    partnership--a Federal entity to be managed in perpetuity by a private
    non-profit organization, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.
        The genius of this model is that it combined the mission and
    operational directives of traditional units of the National Park System
    with the efficiency and effectiveness of the private sector. This
    allowed for the building of more robust partnerships; the generation of
    millions of dollars in private funding; quick reaction to preservation
    opportunities; and business systems that allow for lean and cost-
    effective operation. Unlike National Heritage Areas, the Shenandoah
    Valley Battlefields National Historic District was tasked with
    purchasing and protecting in perpetuity large swaths of open space and
    historic sites. In addition to promoting and generating heritage
    tourism like traditional National Heritage Areas, the District was
    created to provide directly for the experience of visitors--more like a
    National Park. Trails, interpretive signage, and visitor centers along
    with original educational programing and partner support were all
    envisioned as part of District's unique model.
        It's a model that's worked at a fraction of the cost to the Federal
    Government when compared to more traditional NPS approaches to
    battlefield management and interpretation.
    Accomplishments on behalf of the American people:
        The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation has facilitated the
    preservation of over 8,000 acres of Civil War Battlefields and today
    manages over 5,200 acres. The SVBF has installed and maintained over 10
    miles of interpretive and recreational trails; designed and installed a
    district-wide system of historic markers; produced visitor's guides;
    driving tours and wayfinding aids; published original histories and
    interpretive booklets; and provided educational programing to youth and
    adults alike. The lands managed by the SVBF have provided outdoor
    recreation opportunities for visitors and local residents and have been
    maintained with as much concern for the natural resources that they
    contain as the historic resources they protect.
        The SVBF has opened six visitor orientation centers, one
    battlefield visitor center, and a museum; preserved collections of
    artifacts, rare books, letters, documents and furnishings; and opened
    Battlefield parks, restoring much of their 19th century appearance with
    historic fencing, cannon and vegetation. The SVBF interprets and
    provides visitor services at 20 Civil War battlefields and hundreds of
    related historic sites throughout the Valley, including major sites at
    McDowell, Cross Keys, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, and Second
    Winchester, the 600-acre Third Winchester Battlefield Park and Third
    Winchester Visitor Center, five interpretive trails, and the Shenandoah
    Valley Civil War Museum.
        Interpretive programs include conferences, tours, major events,
    interpretive markers, driving tours, booklets, films, panels, signage,
    and exhibits. SVBF education and outreach programs serve pre-K through
    college age youths with on-site, interactive, and in-school
    initiatives, printed and web-based resources, and support for home
    school programs and school systems throughout the District.
    What is the economic impact of the National Historic District?
        The Valley's numerous battlefields and related historic sites are
    major heritage tourism attractions. The consulting firm of Tripp Umbach
    was recently retained by the Heritage Development Partnership to
    measure the economic, employment, and government revenue impacts of
    operations and research of 5 national heritage areas including the
    Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District. Tripp Umbach
    stated our historic district generates $293.2 million in economic
    impact, supports 3,930 jobs and generates $20.4 million in tax revenue.
    These numbers will only go up with the projects planned for the future.
        Our outstanding work on behalf of the Congress of the United States
    has resulted in achieving the aims of the Congress at reduced cost from
    NPS sites and even more can be accomplished such as:
        Preservation.--Preserving additional battlefield property through
    fee simple acquisition or donated easements. Any Federal money expended
    through the American Battlefield Protection Program is leveraged by
    State matching funds and private donations.
        Stewardship.--Employing the highest and best standards for the
    treatment of historic and natural landscapes; protecting resources
    while providing for the enjoyment thereof through greater public
    access.
        Heritage Tourism.--Enhancement of existing or creation of
    additional battlefield parks throughout the valley. These battlefield
    parks are beacons for tourism and history education; often used heavily
    by the local population for outdoor recreation.
        Interpretation.--Meaningful upgrades to the District's
    interpretation including new exhibits that highlight not only military
    history but also the war-time experience of women, children and free
    and enslaved African-Americans; and new virtual and augmented reality
    programs, an electric map and hands-on exhibits.

        [This statement was submitted by Keven Walker, CEO.]
                                     ______

             Prepared Statement of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
        The requests of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe (Tribe) for the
    fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies budget are
    as follows:

      --Support appropriation of funds through the Tribe's self-government
            agreement with the BIA to address additional planning efforts
            for a necessary Tribal relocation.
      --Continue full funding for Contract Support Costs (CSC).
      --Maintain adequate funding for Section 105(l) Clinic Leases
      --Fund IHS in advance in parity with the Veterans Administration
      --Maintain mandatory funding for the Special Diabetes Program for
            Indians (SDPI)
                                   background
        Thank you for inviting the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe to provide
    testimony today. My name is Charlene Nelson, and I am the Chairwoman of
    the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe which is located 2,800 miles west by
    northwest of where we are meeting today on the beautiful north shore of
    Willapa Bay, facing out to the Pacific Ocean. As the Chairwoman of the
    Tribe, and in my former career as an educator and commercial fisherman,
    I have learned firsthand that vibrant and successful Indian communities
    are not possible without first attending to human health of the
    community members and also ensuring the health of the environment. I
    appreciate that this Committee is also responsible for those same
    priorities, and it is in that shared spirit of community responsibility
    that I speak to you today.
                             relocation assistance
        My first priority today is to ask you to ensure that BIA planning
    and assistance funds are available for our critical and ongoing fight
    to protect our Tribe against the imminent danger of coastal erosion and
    tsunami inundation, which could wipe out our entire reservation. Our
    reservation, with one small exception, is no higher than 6 feet above
    the ordinary high water mark of the Willapa Bay tides, and this low
    elevation places the entire reservation squarely within a tsunami zone.
    Think about that for a moment-an entire Tribe wiped out in an instant.
    This danger is aggravated by climate change which is increasing sea
    levels and the intensity of extreme weather events that, in addition to
    tsunami danger, threaten our coastal community.
        One way that we are addressing this immediate threat is through the
    construction of a 50-foot tsunami evacuation tower using funds from
    FEMA and the Tribe that is designed to allow our Tribal members and
    other local residents to survive a tsunami event. However, this project
    will only protect the lives of those that are able to reach it in time,
    and will not prevent the flooding of our homes, schools, roads and
    infrastructure.
        That is why the Tribe is continuing its efforts to permanently
    relocate to higher elevation land that the Tribe already owns. The
    Tribe seeks funds to continue the engineering, planning and
    construction of a road to an upland elevation, out of the tsunami zone,
    and to begin the relocation process of the Tribe. The costs to carry
    out this next phase of work are very high, and the Tribe seeks this
    subcommittee's support in ensuring funds are available to support these
    efforts through the Tribe's existing BIA self-governance compact. The
    new road will provide access to a higher elevation land base that is
    safe from the threats of coastal erosion and tsunami. This relocation
    project will require a number of partners that have a stake in ensuring
    the safety of the Tribe: the Tribe, Washington State, Department of
    Interior and the Army Corps of Engineers.
        While our request today is for planning and implementation funds
    for the Tribe from the BIA, other temporary efforts are under serious
    consideration. For instance, realizing how dire she situation is, the
    State and Corps of Engineers are working together to define a joint
    project for a dynamic revetment to help protect the berm to prevent
    further erosion and encroachment of water on our reservation lands.
    However, the Tribe also needs its own resources to be actively involved
    in what ultimately is our own relocation.
        We appreciate that the 2019 House Interior Appropriations report
    specifically highlights the needs of coastal Tribes and gave the
    following direction: ``The Committee supports the Bureau of Indian
    Affairs' efforts to address the needs of coastal Tribal communities by
    working to address threats to public safety, natural resources, and
    sacred sites. Consistent with the Federal Government's treaty and trust
    obligations, the Committee directs the Bureau of Indian Affairs to work
    with at-risk Tribes to identify and expedite the necessary resources.''
    We ask the subcommittee to follow-up with the BIA on this directive.
                            contract supports costs
        We greatly appreciate the House and Senate Interior appropriations
    subcommittees work over the past several years in making a reality the
    full payment of Contract Support Costs (CSC) by both the IHS and the
    BIA. We are also very pleased that the administration has continued to
    request that CSC be maintained as a separate appropriations account in
    IHS and in BIA, and with an indefinite funding of ``such sums as may be
    necessary''. This action has been crucial to the strengthening of
    Tribal governments' ability to successfully exercise their rights and
    responsibilities as sovereign governments.
                          section 105(l) clinic leases
        We are gratified that IHS has been funding Section 105(l) leases
    for tribal health clinics under its responsibility as confirmed by the
    2016 Federal court decision in Maniilaq v. Burwell, which held that
    section 105(l) of the ISDEAA provides an entitlement to full
    compensation for leases of Tribal facilities used to carry out ISDEAA
    agreements. We appreciate your supplemental appropriations in fiscal
    year 2019 to cover these costs, and we ask that funding continue to be
    made available for these important leases. This Committee has invited
    IHS to submit a report on the budget impact of meeting its
    responsibility. We oppose any appropriations rider, such as those
    included in the administration's budget proposals for fiscal year 2018
    and fiscal year 2019, which would allow IHS to avoid its responsibility
    to fully compensate Tribes. Tribes and Tribal organizations
    increasingly rely on section 105(l) leases to address chronically
    underfunded facilities operation, maintenance, and replacement costs.
    Congress declined to include such a provision in the fiscal year 2019
    IHS appropriation and we ask that you treat this year's upcoming
    proposal the same way.
                           ihs advance appropriations
        We thank Ranking Member Udall. Representative Don Young, and House
    Interior Appropriations Chair McCollum and Ranking Member Joyce for
    introducing legislation to authorize advance appropriations for IHS and
    programs in the BIA and BIE. Under advance appropriations we would know
    a year in advance what the budget would be and importantly, would not
    be continue to be constrained by the start and stop level funding of
    Continuing Resolutions, each of which requires the same processing and
    manpower for each partial payment as one full apportionment. When IHS
    funding is subject to a Continuing Resolution, we receive only a
    portion of annual funding at a time, making it particularly difficult
    to implement long-range planning and staffing. Even if CRs had not
    become the norm, having advance notice of funding levels would aid
    greatly in our health programs planning, recruitment, retention, and
    leveraging of funds. Finally, we note again that the Veterans
    Administration health accounts have been receiving advance
    appropriations since fiscal year 2010. Both the VA and the IHS provide
    direct medical care and both are the result of Federal policies. The
    IHS budget should be afforded the same status as the VA.
                  special diabetes program for indians (sdpi)
        Last year, the administration proposed, with no real explanation of
    why, that a number of health programs funding be changed from a
    mandatory to a discretionary status. Among them was the SDPI program.
    Congress rejected this proposal and we thank you for that. We are
    relieved that the fiscal year 2020 budget does not repeat this request.
    We were concerned that discretionary funding could lead to a reduction
    in funding for this critical program which has demonstrated good
    results in Indian Country. The current SDPI authorization extends
    through fiscal year 2019 and we hope that the authorization can be made
    permanent and at an increased funding level of $200 million or higher.
    A permanent reauthorization with mandatory annual funding of $200
    million would allow us to recruit and retain personnel to deliver
    badly-needed services to more of our members.
                                   conclusion
        Thank you for your consideration of the concerns and requests of
    the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe. I would be happy to provide any other
    additional information as requested by the subcommittee.

        [This statement was submitted by Charlene Nelson, Tribal
    Chairwoman.]
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley
                               Indian Reservation
        The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation
    appreciate the opportunity to submit written testimony concerning the
    fiscal year 2020 budget for the BLM, BIA, and IHS. The Shoshone-Paiute
    Tribes are grateful for this subcommittee's long standing support of
    Indian Tribes and for sharing its understanding of Indian Country with
    your Senate colleagues.
        As Congress has done for fiscal year 2019, and for each year of the
    current administration, we ask that the subcommittee reject the
    administration's ill-conceived fiscal year 2020 budget, which calls for
    unwarranted reductions of 14 percent for the Department of the Interior
    and the programs critical to Tribes in the Office of Indian Programs
    (OIP). If enacted the budget would cause great harm to the Duck Valley
    Indian Reservation and to most Native Americans who, more than most
    Americans, rely heavily on Federal appropriations across multiple
    Federal agencies, not just Interior and DHHS. We encourage this
    subcommittee to build on the increases in the fiscal year 2019
    appropriation for these essential Tribal programs.
        The Duck Valley Reservation is a large, rural and very remote
    reservation comprising 450 square miles located on the Nevada and Idaho
    border. The Reservation is 140 miles south of Boise, Idaho, and 100
    miles north of Elko, Nevada. Many of our 2,500 Tribal members make
    their living as farmers and ranchers, though a number of them are
    employed by the Tribes. We assume most duties of the BIA and IHS under
    self-governance compacts, although the BIA continues to provide law
    enforcement, detention and road maintenance services on our
    Reservation.
        In too many instances, however, our success in program delivery is
    largely dependent on Federal appropriations which, in turn, determine
    whether economic and social conditions on the Duck Valley Indian
    Reservation improve or worsen. While we contribute Tribal resources to
    these endeavors as best we can, we look to our Federal partner for
    support. If we fall short in available funding, our Tribal citizens
    suffer. For that reason, I write to express our Tribes' strong
    opposition to the President's fiscal year 2020 budget for BIA, IHS, BLM
    and the other programs funded under the Interior, Environment and
    Related Agencies appropriations that face deep cuts. Our priorities for
    fiscal year 2020 include:
        1. Increase funding for the BIA Public Safety and Special
    Initiatives Program.--The BIA struggles to provide adequate law
    enforcement on our 450 square mile Reservation. For that reason, we
    applaud the fiscal year 2019 enacted appropriations levels for Public
    Safety and Justice totaling $411 million, and urge the Committee to
    support sensible increases next year. We reject the administration's
    unwise proposed cuts to BIA Public Safety funding. We have seen in
    increase in alcohol and substance abuse and resulting juvenile
    delinquency on our Reservation. The BIA Western Region has reduced the
    BIA Law Enforcement Officers serving Duck Valley from eight to three
    full-time officers. This leaves us short staffed, especially after
    hours. We request an increase of funding to BIA Criminal Investigations
    and Police Services to restore our police department to appropriate
    levels. The BIA Construction budget for fiscal year 2020 is also
    insufficient to address the pressing need for modern detention
    facilities and housing for law enforcement and detention personnel.
        We are also witnessing an increase in alcohol and substance abuse
    on our reservation, and resulting juvenile delinquency.
        We renew our request for statutory language in the fiscal year 2020
    appropriation to make clear that ``Law Enforcement Special
    Initiatives'' funds may be used for the purchase or lease temporary
    trailers or modular units to house personnel associated with law
    enforcement, corrections, probation, Tribal courts and other
    professionals serving Tribal communities. For rural communities like
    Duck Valley, housing is often the linchpin to program success. This
    request will give us the flexibility we need to use Special Initiatives
    funding for housing law enforcement and corrections personnel.
        2. Increase BIA Road Maintenance Program funds (Eastern Nevada BIA
    Roads Program of the Western Regional Office).--We respectfully ask for
    at least a $10 million increase in the BIA Road Maintenance Program for
    fiscal year 2020 so that the BIA Eastern Nevada Agency Roads Department
    can purchase a road grader, backhoe, a front-end loader, a D7
    Caterpillar dozer, ten-wheel dump truck and other heavy equipment. We
    appreciate the fiscal year 2019 increase, but it alone will not provide
    sufficient funds to replace obsolete heavy equipment required for
    maintenance. It has been over 25 years since BIA sought supplemental
    funds for one-time heavy equipment purchases for road maintenance. The
    1980's blade road grader and backhoe are broken down and parts are
    difficult to find. The dozer is a 1960's model, and the front-end
    loader and backhoe are from the 1970's.
        Our Region, the BIA Western Region, has the largest percentage of
    BIA-owned roads at 21 percent. The BIA Eastern Nevada Agency covers the
    roads maintenance need for the 600 miles of public roads on the Duck
    Valley Reservation and the road maintenance needs on five other
    reservations which are hundreds of mile apart throughout northeastern
    Nevada. The requested increase we request will help our Region
    tremendously. Road maintenance allows fire trucks and equipment to
    access fires that occur in the mountains and desert areas of the Duck
    Valley Reservation, thereby protecting reservation lands and property.
        3. Telecommunications (fiber optics).--The Tribes continue to need
    fiber infrastructure over 5 miles for connectivity among Fish, Wildlife
    & Parks, Tribal Headquarters, Detention Center, Fire Station and the
    Owyhee Community Health Facility. The health center serves as the Wide
    Area Network (WAN) hub for the Tribes' and health center's computer
    network. Connectivity among these facilities and programs would
    alleviate the long-term monthly recurring cost we pay to an Ethernet
    Circuit provider ($96,000 annually). We require $500,000 in Federal
    funding to construct new fiber networks and cover construction
    inspection fees. We urge the subcommittee to increase appropriations
    within the BIA and IHS budgets so that Duck Valley can improve our
    telecommunications networks. Education IT is not the only program in
    need of an upgrade.
        4. IHS.--The Tribes appreciate the $266 million increase Congress
    provided for fiscal year 2019 for the Indian Health Service (IHS),
    above the fiscal year 2018 level. We seek fiscal year 2020 increases,
    especially in the area of clinical services, including Purchased/
    Referred Care and facilities construction. The Tribes continue to
    support full funding of Contract Support Costs (CSCs) for IHS and BIA,
    and thank the subcommittee for its work to fully fund these costs
    without jeopardizing program funding for health services. Our members,
    like other Native Americans, continue to have a disproportionate
    disease burden greater than other Americans. We encourage the
    Subcommittee to continue its bipartisan efforts to raise the health
    status of Native Americans.
        5. Fund the Owyhee Initiative within the Bureau of Land Management
    (BLM).--The Owyhee Initiative is a joint effort by ranchers,
    recreationalists, county and State officials, and the Shoshone-Paiute
    Tribes to protect known Tribal sacred sites, and to manage and
    appropriately use public lands in southwestern Idaho. In 2009, Congress
    passed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, Public Law 111-11. Since
    2010, we have worked jointly with BLM to protect cultural resources and
    increase public understanding and appreciation of these resources as a
    part of the Cultural Resources Protection Plan authorized by the Owyhee
    Initiative. Recreational use and encroachment by visitors within the
    Owyhee River Wilderness Area and other Federal lands continues to
    increase and threatens important cultural resources.
        The BLM's Boise District manages 3 million acres of land in this
    rough remote area and they have 3-4 Rangers in their entire district.
    Over the last few years, BLM funding to the Tribes for Tribal Cultural
    programs have dwindled and ceased. We have had to eliminate the Tribal
    Chief Ranger position that was critical to protecting culturally
    significant sites in Owyhee County. For this reason, we oppose the
    administration's plan to reduce BLM funding for fiscal year 2020 by
    more than $150 million below the fiscal year 2019 level.
        One-time BLM funding a number of years ago allowed us to purchase
    two Cessna planes, ATV equipment, a truck, and hire a Chief Ranger to
    patrol public lands and report violations of cultural and religious
    sites to BLM officials. One of the two planes is a trainer (Cessna 150)
    and its engine is beyond its service life per FAA requirements. We work
    closely with BLM and County officials to coordinate compatible
    recreation use within BLM lands in Owyhee County, especially within the
    wilderness areas where we seek to protect cultural resource sites
    important to our Tribes. The Ranger, Cultural Resources Director, and
    Tribal Chairman, while on patrols occasionally report wildfires to BLM
    officials before they cause greater damage to sensitive, remote public
    lands. These resources are no longer available to us, our program
    outreach is limited, and the equipment we purchased is now aging and
    requires replacement.
        We seek recurring BLM funds to continue this important work to
    protect cultural sites and establish a Reserve Ranger Program to engage
    Tribal youth in cultural and related activities during the summer. It
    is essential that we hire and train replacement staff, including a
    pilot, to continue this important work. We need funds to hire an
    Assistant Director, one adult Tribal Ranger and two part-time Youth
    Rangers, train a qualified applicant as an additional pilot, purchase
    ATVs and camp trailers to permit Tribal personnel to remain in the
    field, and repair the planes to meet FAA regulations. For several
    years, we requested $500,000 to construct a hangar at the Owyhee
    Airport to centralize our operation and increase surveillance flights.
    We contribute 100 percent of the required budget for our Cultural
    Resources Director but cannot sustain important cultural resources
    programs without Federal support. Please increase available BLM and BIA
    programs to help pay for this important work which helps build self-
    esteem in our members, especially Tribal youth. It is a wise investment
    in people.
        We support additional funding for BLM Cultural Resources Management
    and other BLM accounts used to manage and protect archaeological and
    historic properties on public lands. BLM lands contain the remnants of
    campsites, villages, hunting blinds and rock inscriptions that tell the
    story of the Shoshone-Paiute and other Tribes. After speaking with
    Shoshone-Bannock Tribal officials, together with northern tier Nevada
    Tribes (including the Te-Moak Bands, Battle Mountain, South Fork, Elko,
    and Wells) and the Goshute Tribes, we seek BLM funds to form a Tribal
    work group to spread best practices for cultural resources management
    and protection that we have learned over decades of experience. Please
    fund the multi-Tribal task force which can develop strategies for on
    the ground protection of Native American cultural resources for the
    Upper Great Basin and High Plateau of the tri-State area of Nevada,
    Oregon and Idaho.
        6. Native Plant Program/Greenhouse.--In cooperation with BLM, the
    Tribes gather, propagate and make available seed and other native plant
    materials that are indigenous to the region. Through a series of
    assistance agreements with BLM, we built three greenhouses and are
    growing seedlings (including sagebrush and bitterbrush seedlings) for
    planting on adjacent public lands. This program assists BLM and other
    agencies in their efforts to restore lands damaged by wildfires with
    native species and helps employ Tribal members. In prior years, we set
    as our goal 80,000 containerized grasses and shrub seedlings, together
    with willow and other riparian plant cuttings and local vegetables for
    sale and distribution through our ``Honor Our Elders'' program.
        We seek Interior Department appropriations of $450,000 in fiscal
    year 2020 to build additional greenhouses and a facility to house
    equipment to dry, clean and store seed and to hire part-time greenhouse
    staff for marketing and finances. The Tribes request $200,000 in each
    of fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2021 for staff and operations to
    expand our program and be a reliable supplier of native plants and
    seedlings on BLM-managed public lands.
        We thank the subcommittee for its work on behalf of American
    Indians and Alaska Natives. We urge the subcommittee to build on its
    fiscal year 2019 budget for Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
    to meet Tribal health and safety needs that strengthen our community in
    fiscal year 2020 and beyond.
        The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley Indian Reservation thank
    you for the opportunity to submit written testimony regarding our
    funding needs.
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the Skokomish Tribe of Washington State
        The Skokomish Tribe would like to thank the subcommittee for the
    opportunity to present written testimony on the fiscal year 2020
    appropriations for the Interior Department, Indian Health Service (IHS)
    and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Skokomish Indian Tribe
    is responsible for providing essential governmental services to the
    residents of the Skokomish Indian Reservation. We are a rural community
    located at the base of the Olympic Peninsula with a population of over
    2,000 people, including approximately 740 Tribal members.
        The Tribe provides Education, Healthcare services, Housing, Public
    Safety, and Social Services. We also have one of the premier Tribal
    Natural Resources programs in the country. Thus, adequate Federal funds
    are critical to the Tribe's ability to address the extensive unmet
    needs of our community. An area of overall concern is that the Tribe's
    Self-Governance compact has not received a programmatic increase in
    years. Consequently, while we are expected to do more with these
    programs, we are not provided any increases in funding to do this work.
    I. BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
        Law Enforcement.--The Skokomish Department of Public Safety (SDPS)
    provides 24/7 law enforcement services for the Tribe. SDPS is
    responsible for patrolling and enforcing justice both within the
    Tribe's 5,300-acre Reservation, and throughout the Tribe's 2.2 million-
    acre Treaty area where the Tribe has Treaty-protected hunting, fishing
    and gathering rights.
        There are 700 plus square miles of ocean and 7 plus miles of river
    to patrol. During harvest season, Tribal fishermen are often confronted
    by non-Tribal individuals. There are active attempts to interfere with
    fishing. Many times, with the resources available, SDPS can only be
    reactive. Today, 7 full-time officers and 1 part-time officer are
    available for day-to-day patrol duties. Consequently, individual
    officers are spread far too thin over 10 hour shifts and often work
    alone over this vast area.
        This staffing level exposes both community members in need of
    assistance and SDPS officers to increased risk. Constant adjustments to
    the duty roster create coverage gaps where no officers are on duty.
    These gaps range from as little as 2 hours to as many as 12 hours.
    Unfortunately, this is reality for SDPS. To meet mandated
    responsibilities, staffing must be increased for the SDPS.
        Like other communities, narcotics and its related issues are a
    priority. The impact on our community has been devastating. However,
    staffing limitations make it very difficult to conduct proactive drug
    operations and investigations. As a result, SDPS have had to rely on
    the Sheriff's Office Narcotics Team which is now disbanded due to
    budget cuts at the county level.
        With the limited amount we receive as a self-governance Tribe, we
    have to use Tribal funds to hire the 5 officers who we use for regular
    patrol and 2 who are responsible for natural resource enforcement. The
    Tribe urges the Committee to appropriate additional funding for
    criminal investigations and police services. The BIA has requested
    essentially level funding in this program when the need throughout
    Indian country is far greater.
        Tribal Courts.--For too long the BIA failed to provide funding to
    Tribes in Public Law 280 States. Recently, Congress recognized this
    deficiency and provided for the first time to address our need. We
    would urge Congress to maintain this funding level in fiscal year 2020.
    The Skokomish Tribal Court handles Civil, Criminal, Indian Child
    Welfare, and School Attendance cases. The Skokomish Tribal Court
    appoints attorneys for all people charged with criminal offenses in
    Tribal Court.
        One of our critical judicial dockets is our child welfare cases. As
    of February 27, 2019, the Tribal Court has 32 (thirty-two) active Child
    in Need of Care cases and 46 (forty-six) active Guardianship cases.
    Eight (8) Child in Need of Care cases and 6 (six) Guardianship cases
    were filed in fiscal year 2018. The Skokomish Tribe set a goal to
    provide attorneys to low income Tribal Members who are involved in
    Indian Child Welfare cases. We need increased BIA Tribal court funding
    to support this effort.
        Natural Resources.--The Skokomish Tribe strongly supports
    increased, Natural Resources funding, which is necessary to foster
    sustainable stewardship and development of natural resources and
    support our fishing, hunting and gathering rights on and off-
    Reservation. These resources are essential to our people, who depend on
    natural resources for their livelihood, not to mention their identity
    as Indians.
        One area of critical concern is fish hatchery cyclical maintenance
    and fish hatchery operations. This funding is invaluable for supporting
    the Federal Government's investment in Tribal hatcheries. Most Tribal
    hatcheries are underfunded and each year brings more decay to the
    facilities. Adequate funding for hatchery maintenance is imperative to
    prevent these important pieces of the salmon restoration puzzle from
    crumbling away. Because of habitat destruction, the only reason we
    continue to have salmon for Treaty-harvest activities is through the
    operation of salmon hatcheries. Congress cannot allow the main pillar
    of this all important Treaty right to take a reduction in funding. We
    urge Congress to increase funding for this critical program which
    provides jobs as well as a critical food source--and mainstay of our
    diet--to our members.
        In recent decades, the Tribe has noticed a precipitous drop in the
    elk populations upon which the Tribe depends for subsistence and
    ceremonial needs. In 2008, the Tribe was able to cobble together a
    wildlife program to remedy this problem thanks to a U.S. Fish and
    Wildlife Tribal grant that the Tribe has been successful in obtaining
    only twice. Unfairly, once a Tribe has received the funding they are
    automatically placed further down the grant priority list and are less
    likely to receive the money again. The wildlife program is now
    partially funded by Timber, Fish, and Wildlife funds with the Tribe
    scrounging to find the remaining money internally necessary to complete
    this work, let alone take on new tasks such as the reintroduction of
    fishers into the Olympia National Forest.
        The Tribe needs wildlife program funds not only to support
    biologists, but additional funding is required to dedicated wildlife
    enforcement officers who will not only enforce the Tribes' regulations,
    but ensure that poaching of the wildlife resources does not occur from
    outside entities who sometimes fail to recognize Tribal Treaty rights.
    We request additional funds in the amount of $240,000 so we will have
    stable funding for a complete wildlife program including a biologist,
    technician and three wildlife officers. Without a more robust program,
    the wildlife populations will continue to decline at the current
    alarming rate.
        The Tribe has also been under attack by shellfish growers who
    blatantly steal the Treaty-protected geoduck, oyster and clam resources
    in Hood Canal. It is imperative that the Federal Government increase
    funding so the Tribe may increase its enforcement presence and seek
    reparations though the courts. As with wildlife, shellfish issues are
    often overlooked because of the popularity of salmon, but the
    availability of this equally-important resource to the Tribe is
    dwindling and action must be taken now to prevent a further decline. We
    suggest an additional $250,000 for shellfish management and rights
    protection in fiscal year 2020. This would allow for additional
    population surveyors, harvest monitors, and enforcement officers.
    Shellfish companies and private citizens are gobbling up this limited
    resource, blocking the Tribe from obtaining its fair share of
    shellfish. Only by securing these lands will they be preserved in
    perpetuity for generations to come.
        The Skokomish Tribe wants to express support for continued climate
    change funding. We see its impact on every aspect of our life. For
    example, due to ocean acidification, shellfish cannot produce a shell,
    leaving them deformed and non-viable, and in the Hood Canal we have had
    to close all but ceremonial crab fisheries due to low oxygen levels. It
    is imperative that funding be provided to focus on the impact of
    climate change on trust resources.
    II. INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE
        We operate a small ambulatory health program with a staff of 27. As
    a Tribally run clinic, we provide direct care services as well as
    purchased/referred care. Our health program integrates medical, dental,
    and behavioral health services (mental health and substance use
    disorder), and we continue to support the integration of these
    services.
        We continue to use the Indian Health Service's Tele-Behavioral
    Health Center of Excellence for mental health services with limited
    success. Our data reports show that we have increased patient case-
    loads for our on-site mental health personnel. We do not have the money
    available in our limited compact funding to hire additional staff even
    though there continues to be an increase in need.
        We continue to see the effects of heroin use and opioid abuse in
    all ages at an alarming rate. The Skokomish Tribe struggles to find the
    resources to adequately address the treatment and long term needs of
    those members struggling with addiction. We see the need for more long
    term treatment facilities to address the needs of individuals who can
    benefit from such treatment programs so that they may continue their
    journey of wellness far beyond the current 30 to 45-day in-patient
    treatment process. A short-term stay is often not adequate time to be
    healed from addiction and our Tribal members, who have no alternate
    housing, often return to the community only to re-establish their old
    habits and slip back into addiction.
        The Skokomish Tribe is a grantee of the 5-year SAMSHA Native
    Connections project and its focus on improving mental health services
    and addressing substance use disorder as a way to prevent suicide has
    the promise to raise the overall health status of our Tribal members.
    Our program has been effective through outreach to provide suicide
    prevention information to the grant required identified group of 10-24
    year olds. Based on feedback from this group, we see the increased need
    for outreach to assist with bullying, ``vaping,'' ``cutting,'' and
    other harmful and dangerous habits.
        We support an increase in the small ambulatory facility program for
    fiscal year 2020 since this is the only IHS funding that Northwest
    Tribes have been able to access for construction projects due to the
    current facilities' priority system that favors larger health programs.
    III. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
        The environment has always been a point of emphasis for Tribes and
    the Skokomish Tribe is no different. The President's proposed cut to
    the EPA would be devastating to the progress already made in keeping
    the tradition of fishing alive for Skokomish Tribal members. Fishing
    has been a mainstay for the generations of Tribal members who rely on
    it as a means to put food on the table. Fish and shellfish are a part
    of the regular diet for Tribal members and their families. It has been
    cited in various literature that Coastal indigenous communities eat
    about 15 times more seafood than the rest of the population. In order
    to maintain this healthy diet, the fish need to be able to swim in
    clean water. This large consumption of fish and shellfish has been a
    reason that the Skokomish Tribe has had one of the lowest rates of
    diabetes among the Northwest Tribes.
        Thank you for the opportunity for the Skokomish Tribe to submit
    testimony.
                                     ______

               Prepared Statement of the Southcentral Foundation
        My name is Donna Galbreath and I am the Medical Director of Quality
    Assurance for the Southcentral Foundation (SCF). SCF is the Alaska
    Native Tribal health organization designated by Cook Inlet Region, Inc.
    and 11 federally-recognized Tribes--the Aleut Community of St. Paul
    Island, Igiugig, Iliamna, Kokhanok, McGrath, Newhalen, Nikolai,
    Nondalton, Pedro Bay, Telida, and Takotna--to provide healthcare
    services to beneficiaries of the Indian Health Service (IHS) pursuant
    to a government-to-government contract with the United States under
    authority of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
    (ISDEAA), Public Law 93-638. SCF is a two-time recipient of the Malcolm
    Baldridge National Quality Award for health (2011 and 2017).
        SCF, through our 2,300 employees, provides critical health
    services, including pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, Native men's
    wellness, dental, behavioral health and substance abuse treatment to
    over 65,000 Alaska Native and American Indian patients. This includes
    52,000 people living in the Municipality of Anchorage, the Matanuska-
    Susitna Borough to the north, and 13,000 residents of 55 rural Alaska
    Native villages. Our service area encompasses over 100,000 square
    miles, an area the size of Wyoming. More so than any other affiliation
    of Tribes, Alaska Native people have assumed the broadest
    responsibilities under the ISDEAA to own and manage healthcare systems
    which, together with the Alaska Public Health System, serve 150,000
    Alaska Native and American Indian people and thousands of non-Native
    residents in rural Alaska.
        I want to thank this subcommittee for its continued leadership in
    securing significant increases in Federal appropriations for the Indian
    Health Service. The recent Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019's
    increase of total appropriations for IHS to $5.804 billion, a $266.4
    million increase over the fiscal year 2018 enacted level represents
    continued movement in the right direction. My remarks today are simple:
    continue to increase Federal appropriations for IHS programs and
    services until health disparities between Alaska Native and American
    Indian people and other Americans are extinguished. At present, IHS per
    capita spending on healthcare for Alaska Native and American Indian
    people is about one-third of the average national per capita healthcare
    spending level. Today, we are also fighting an opioid epidemic which is
    taking a disproportionate toll on Alaska Native people. As Congress has
    noted, the opioid epidemic has devastated communities and torn apart
    families across our country. This is just as true in our communities in
    Alaska. With a service population of 65,000, our resources are wholly
    insufficient in comparison to the crisis.
        We are extremely troubled by the current administration's continued
    comments and actions that seek to undermine the sovereign status of
    Alaska Native and American Indian Tribes. We therefore ask that the
    subcommittee reject any efforts by the administration to eliminate or
    cut appropriations to Indian healthcare programs. Investing in Native
    healthcare will only improve the health of the Nation's first peoples,
    and we applaud this subcommittee's commitment to that goal.

    1.  Reduce the Disparity in Federal Healthcare Expenditures for Alaska
            Native and American Indian People

        We recommend that subcommittee prioritize general program increases
    which are shared equally by all Tribal programs. We are pleased to see
    that in fiscal year 2019 appropriations for the IHS, Congress included
    significant increases shared by all Tribal programs, such as a $102
    million increase for Hospitals and Health Clinics, an $8 million
    increase for Indian health professions, a $2 million increase for Urban
    Indian Health, and a $4.1 million increase for Public Health Nursing.
    We do note, however, that Congress only moderately increased the
    appropriations for Purchased/Referred Care by $2.1 million and did not
    increase the amounts available for Facilities Maintenance and
    Improvement, which are critical budget items in need of increased
    resources. By the estimate of the National Indian Health Board (NIHB),
    IHS funding is only about 1/5 of the total Tribal needs budget of $30
    billion. So long as appropriations for the Indian Health Service reside
    within the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, this
    subcommittee will always be challenged to appropriate sufficient funds
    to address the healthcare disparities that exist between Alaska Native
    and American Indian people and the rest of the population. We
    appreciate the subcommittee's efforts to help tackle this ongoing
    challenge.

    2.  Continue to Support Increases for Section 105(l) Lease Payments

        We recommend that the subcommittee create within the Direct
    Operations account a new subaccount to pay required Section 105(l)
    lease payments to Tribes and Tribal organizations that make tribally-
    owned or leased facilities available for IHS-financed health programs.
    Even in the face of two Federal court decisions addressing IHS's legal
    obligation to fund Section 105(l) leases, and the unrelenting challenge
    we face to deliver health services with insufficient facility space,
    the administration has repeatedly asked Congress for statutory text,
    included in the Administrative Provisions concerning the IHS, to
    legislatively override Section 105(l), and Federal court decisions in
    favor of Tribes, and insert a ``notwithstanding'' clause which would
    make all lease payments by the Secretary entirely discretionary on the
    part of the IHS. In short, the IHS would secure the right to use Tribal
    facilities to operate IHS-funded programs without paying us for them.
    The IHS seeks to memorialize in statutory text its unjustified
    practice, which they had been doing for years, and to short-fund the
    Village Built Clinic lease program. The administration's action is so
    short-sighted and contrary to best practices to well maintain limited
    health facility space.
        We urge the subcommittee to again reject IHS's efforts to repeal a
    key provision of the ISDEAA through the appropriations process. This
    subcommittee fully appreciates the challenges we face to build and
    maintain hospitals and clinics in unforgiving climates. Too often, lack
    of funds shortens the useful life of these vitally important
    structures. The cost to replace a hospital or clinic in Alaska is
    staggering. If Tribes and Tribal organizations are to extend the useful
    life of hospitals and clinics, retain key healthcare professionals, and
    improve the quality of health to our Tribal citizens, we must be given
    the resources to properly operate and maintain existing facilities.
    Facilities worth having are worth maintaining and worth paying for. If
    these lease payments cease, the delivery of healthcare in Alaska will
    suffer another setback.
        Also, despite the obligation of the IHS to fully fund 105(l)
    leases, we have found the IHS to be slow to finalize these leases
    because they are not given enough money to fund all of the leases they
    are now clearly required to pay for. We urge you to increase
    appropriations for Section 105(l) leases.

    3.  Provide Advance Appropriations for the Indian Health Service

        Calls from Tribes and Tribal organizations for advance
    appropriations for Indian programs, including the Indian Health Service
    are not new, but the recent 35-day government shutdown has underscored
    the need for this change. The delays in funding had deeply-felt impacts
    in Alaska Native and American Indian communities across the country. As
    Ranking Member Udall has said: ``Because of the unique government-to-
    government relationship between Tribes and the United States, Native
    communities . . . across the country are among those hit hardest when
    the appropriations process'' breaks down. We completely agree that
    ``The Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act will offer certainty
    to Tribes and Federal law enforcement, healthcare, and child welfare
    services employees working in Indian country . . . [and] . . . make
    sure the budget process meets [the] Federal trust and treaty
    obligations going forward.''
        Much has been said in this subcommittee, year after year, about how
    the programs and departments subject to this appropriations process are
    reflections of the trust relationship the Federal Government has with
    American Indian and Alaska Native people. The problems that arise from
    shutdowns and other delays in the context of a lack of advance
    appropriations exacerbate the problems caused by the funding shortfalls
    and disparities discussed above.
        We therefore applaud Ranking Member Udall and other Senators and
    House Members for their sponsorship of measures in the current Congress
    to provide advance appropriations for the IHS.

    4.  Continue to Provide Increases for Behavioral Health Programs

        We cannot state strenuously enough how important it is to increase
    available funds for behavioral health. Alaska Native and American
    Indian people are disproportionately represented in substance abuse,
    especially opioid addiction, and suicide statistics. According to the
    Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and confirmed by IHS Chief Medical
    Officer, Rear Admiral Michael E. Toedt, Alaska Native and American
    Indian people ``had the highest drug overdose death rates in 2015 and
    the largest percentage increase in the number of deaths over time from
    1999-2015 compared to other racial and ethnic groups.'' During that
    time, deaths rose more than 500 percent among Alaska Native and
    American Indian people. The CDC also found that the suicide rate among
    Alaska Native people is almost four times the U.S. general population
    rate and at least six times the national average in some parts of the
    State.
        The recent Consolidated Appropriations Act contained a combined
    $17.7 million increase in fiscal year 2019 for the Mental Health and
    Alcohol and Substance Abuse program (to $245.5 million), a 5 percent
    increase over the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. In addition, the
    measure also includes an increase of $10 million to combat the opioid
    epidemic with direction to use the additional funds to create a
    ``Special Behavioral Health Pilot Program modeled after the Special
    Diabetes Program for Indians.'' These are steps in the right direction,
    and we urge the subcommittee to build on this effort and increase these
    programs by at least 15 percent above the fiscal year 2019 enacted
    level. Behavioral health funds are critical to our most vulnerable
    population--our youth. SCF runs several programs that provide mental
    healthcare for Alaska Native youth which focus on building academic,
    vocational and leadership skills through culturally-appropriate
    methods. It is our firm conviction that only by addressing the root
    causes that drive individuals to drug misuse and addiction--domestic
    and child abuse, poverty and unemployment--can we heal them.
        We also support specific appropriations for an Opioid Prevention,
    Treatment and Recovery program for Alaska Native and American Indian
    people. We recommend that these funds be distributed among Tribes and
    Tribal organizations as additions to our self-governance compacts and
    contracts. Alaska Native healthcare providers, like SCF, recognize that
    the size of the opioid and substance abuse problem in Alaska demands
    resources. However, with insufficient funds to address behavioral
    health challenges, we cannot reach those who suffer from substance
    abuse, our military veterans struggling with PTSD, or victims of
    violent crime. Prevention, education, and timely medication-assisted
    treatment (MAT) programs remain our most potent tools to raise a new
    generation of Alaska Native people who practice positive, life-
    affirming behavioral traits and who will, in turn, pass on these life
    skills to their children and grandchildren.
        With our available funds, we established The Pathway Home, a
    voluntary, comprehensive, and individualized mental health program for
    adolescents aged 13 to 18 years. The Pathway Home teaches life skills
    to these Alaska Native youths so that they discontinue harmful
    behavior. Many of these youths have already experienced childhood
    trauma or seen family members struggle with drug and alcohol
    dependency, which puts them at greater risk of turning to drugs and
    alcohol. The Pathway Home creates a loving and supportive community
    environment and it is heartwarming to see how proud the graduates of
    this program are to go back out into the world with these new skills
    and new hope.

    5.  Contract Support Costs

        With regards to Contract Support Costs, we appreciate Congress' use
    of an indefinite appropriation. In recent years, we have witnessed the
    IHS making unilateral policy changes concerning its CSC policy, already
    an overly complicated process. It requires Tribes to submit additional
    documentation to IHS and engage in two separate CSC negotiations each
    year. We urge the subcommittee to direct the agency to simplify its CSC
    policy and not attempt to reduce the award of CSC funds to Tribes
    through an unnecessarily complex methodology which diverts our
    administrative personnel from their primary focus--the efficient and
    professional delivery of health services.
        Thank you again for the opportunity to provide testimony on behalf
    of Southcentral Foundation and the people we serve.
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium
        My name is Charles Clement and I serve as the President/CEO for the
    Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC). I am honored for
    the opportunity to provide written testimony about SEARHC's priorities
    for the fiscal year 2020 appropriations for the Indian Health Service,
    and I thank the subcommittee for the opportunity to do so.
        SEARHC is an inter-Tribal consortium of 15 federally-recognized
    Tribes situated along the southeast panhandle of Alaska. Our service
    area stretches over 35,000 square miles, and with no roads connecting
    many of the rural communities we serve, we work hard to provide quality
    health services to our communities. These services include medical,
    dental, mental health, physical therapy, radiology, pharmacy,
    laboratory, nutritional, audiology, optometry and respiratory therapy
    services. We also provide supplemental social services, substance abuse
    treatment, health promotion services, emergency medical services,
    environmental health services and traditional Native healing. We
    provide these services through a network of community clinics and the
    Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital located in Sitka, Alaska.
        The urgent healthcare needs across Indian Country are well known
    and the challenges in meeting those needs are heightened in areas like
    Southeast Alaska where communities are isolated and transportation and
    facilities costs are high. SEARHC applauds the administration for
    recognizing these needs by increasing the IHS budget. It is vital that
    these increases be preserved. But even these increases will not be
    enough to allow SEARHC and other Tribal organizations to meet the
    healthcare needs of the people we serve. We will meet these challenges,
    but to do so we will need your help.
                               facilities funding
        Our greatest need is for increased facilities funding. We have
    repeatedly reported to this Committee on this topic, and another year
    of use has only increased those needs. At nearly 70 years old, the Mt.
    Edgecumbe Hospital is the oldest facility in Alaska and one of the
    oldest in the Nation. It was constructed toward the end of World War II
    by the War Department and focused largely on tuberculosis treatment
    through the 1950s. The hospital is in poor condition and ill-suited to
    a 21st century model of healthcare dominated by primary and ambulatory
    care facilities. Replacing or repairing Mt. Edgecumbe should be a
    priority, together with developing a critical access hospital to serve
    the Prince of Wales Island communities (including Craig and Klawock).
        According to the report the IHS produced as required by this
    Committee in Report language for the Department of the Interior,
    Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2017, the cost
    to update SEARHC's facilities alone is $34 million. The estimated cost
    to address the inventoried code deficiencies and backlog of maintenance
    and repairs over the next 10 years is nearly $80 million. And we are
    not unique. Estimates place IHS facilities funding needs at well over
    $8 billion, a number that keeps rising because IHS lacks sufficient
    funding to maintain these facilities. In the Report language for the
    recent Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019, the Committee directed
    the IHS to work with Tribes and Tribal organizations to assess the
    updated facilities needs in Alaska as well as provide recommendations
    for alternative financing options which could help address this crisis.
    We urge the Committee to continue to push IHS to find solutions that
    will help us provide care to our patients in appropriate facilities
    both now and in the future. We do our best to patch the problem, but
    the bottom line is that without adequate facilities, SEARHC cannot
    provide adequate health services.

        We request the Committee do four things.

      --Replace Aging IHS Facilities.--We need a commitment from Congress
            to start replacing aging IHS facilities. This will require
            reordering the current facilities priority list, which was
            created on a first come, first served basis. All rankings
            should be based on true need.
      --Increase Facilities Funding in the Current Budget Proposal.--The
            President's budget proposes to cut funding for facilities
            programs funding, including a proposed cut of $77 million for
            the Health Care Facilities Construction Program. In the context
            of the massive backlog of facilities needs for SEARHC and the
            IHS, these proposed cuts are unwise and would only serve to
            further the facilities construction, replacement, and deferred
            maintenance crisis. We strongly encourage the Committee to
            increase the facilities funding in the IHS budget and share
            Chairwoman Murkowski's concern with the administration's
            proposed reduction.
      --The Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) Renovation
            Program.--We recommend the Committee provide funding for
            tribally renovated IHS buildings, pursuant to section 1634 of
            the IHCIA. The IHCIA allows Tribes to renovate IHS facilities
            and authorizes IHS to provide staffing and equipment for the
            newly renovated structure. However, Congress has never funded
            this program. We strongly urge the Committee to realize the
            promise of this program by providing $10 million to fund it. We
            would be delighted to do an Alaska demonstration project for
            this new initiative.
      --Joint Venture Projects.--The JV project provides IHS funds to staff
            facilities built with Tribal funds. SEARHC submitted a proposal
            in the most recent Joint Venture project funding round. Despite
            receiving a very high score, our proposal to build a facility
            on Prince of Wales Island was not selected. And in fact, of the
            37 applications submitted, only 13 were put on a list to
            eventually receive funding. The fact that qualified projects
            were not selected is evidence that the need for such facilities
            far outstrips IHS's ability to enter into these agreements.

        Our situation is a good example. Currently, our hospital in Sitka
    serves people living as far away as Klawock. Travel to Sitka requires a
    lengthy combination of automobile, ferry, and airplanes and takes at
    least a day and often is an overnight trip. If weather is bad, as it
    often is in Southeast Alaska, it can take even longer. The only
    alternative are costly air ambulance flights. We proposed to construct
    a Critical Access Hospital in Klawock. This would have strengthened the
    primary care service in the area, while for the first time also
    offering complex diagnostic services and acute and emergency care to
    one of the remotest, most rural areas of the Nation. Despite this
    substantial need for these services, our project was rejected.
        In order to provide funding for this project, as well as the other
    JV projects that were not selected in the last round, we urge this
    Committee to support IHS's effort to enter into more Joint Venture
    Agreements.
                             advance appropriations
        The 35-day government shutdown has provided yet another example of
    why Indian and Alaska Native programs must be held outside of regular
    appropriations processes that are subject to the whims yearly political
    processes. SEARHC strongly supports advance appropriations for the IHS.
    The delays in funding, and the lack of Federal personnel and support,
    during the shutdown had deeply-felt impacts in Alaska Native and
    American Indian communities across the country. As Subcommittee Vice
    Chairman Udall has said, ``Because of the unique government-to-
    government relationship between Tribes and the United States, Native
    communities in New Mexico and across the country are among those hit
    the hardest'' during a shutdown, disrupting the delivery of essential
    government services to Tribal members. These sorts of impacts come each
    shutdown, CR, or other funding issue, but the recent shutdown should be
    a wake-up call for Congress regarding the need to act on this issue.
        SEARHC therefore strongly supports efforts by Vice Chairman Udall
    and other Members of the Senate to provide advance appropriations for
    IHS.
                                 105(l) leases
        Two recent Federal court decisions have addressed IHS's legal
    obligation to fund Section 105(l) leases. Even so, the administration
    has repeatedly asked Congress for statutory text to legislatively
    override Section 105(l), and the courts, and insert a
    ``notwithstanding'' clause which would make all lease payments by the
    Secretary entirely discretionary on the part of the IHS. In short, the
    IHS would secure the right to use Tribal facilities to operate IHS-
    funded programs without paying for them. IHS had been doing for years
    by short-funding Village Built Clinic leases, and Congress should not
    let them continue. We urge the Committee to again reject IHS's efforts
    to repeal a key provision of the ISDEAA through the appropriations
    process.
        In addition, and just as important, we urge the Committee to
    provide additional funding for the 105(l) lease program so that there
    are sufficient appropriations to fund the all of the leases IHS is now
    required to fully pay for.
                             contract support costs
        In recent years, much progress has been made on the issue of
    contract support costs, thanks in large part to this Committee. We
    appreciate the Committee's use of an indefinite appropriation for IHS
    contract support costs in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for
    Fiscal Year 2019, and we urge the Committee to do so again for fiscal
    year 2020. However, the IHS has repeatedly over-complicated the process
    for contract support costs, adding burdens on SEARHC and other
    providers which distract, delay, and otherwise hinder our ability to
    spend our time and resources where they belong--on patient care. We ask
    that you direct the IHS to simplify its CSC policy, rather than
    attempting to reduce the award of CSC funds through overly-complex
    methodologies.
        Thank you for the opportunity to present to the Committee on
    SEARHC's priorities.
                                     ______

                 Prepared Statement of the Squaxin Island Tribe
        On behalf of the Squaxin Island Tribal Leadership and citizens, it
    is an honor to provide our funding priorities and recommendations for
    the fiscal year 2020 Budgets for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and
    Indian Health Service (IHS). We ask that this Committee supports our
    historical trust and treaty relationship with the United States and
    honor the fiduciary obligations that were a part of the negotiations
    with our Tribal Leaders. We ask that this Committee:

        1.  Exempts Tribal program funding throughout the Federal
    Government from future sequestrations, rescissions and disproportionate
    cuts;
        2.  Ensures stable Federal funding for essential Tribal services by
    supporting the Indian Programs Advanced Appropriations Act for the
    Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education and the Indian
    Health Service; and,
        3.  Supports the Special Diabetes Program for Indians
    reauthorization at $200 million annually for 5 years. Efforts by the
    administration to change the funding from mandatory to discretionary
    spending must require Tribal consultation before any changes occur.
    SQUAXIN ISLAND TRIBE Specific Requests
        1.  $500,000 Shellfish Management Program--BIA
        2.  $3.0 Million Increase for Northwest Indian Treatment Center
    (NWITC) Residential Program in IHS
    REGIONAL Requests and Recommendations
        1.  $110 million for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund
        2.  Supports the Regional Budget Requests of the Affiliated Tribes
    of Northwest Indians (ATNI), the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health
    Board (NPAIHB) and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC)
    NATIONAL Requests and Recommendations--Bureau of Indian Affairs
        1.  BIA Rights Protection--Increase funding to $52 million for the
    BIA Rights Protection Implementation
        2.  Fully Fund Fixed Costs and Tribal Pay Costs
        3.  Increase Tribal Base Funding (instead of through grants
    NATIONAL Requests and Recommendations--Indian Health Service
        1.  IHS mandatory funding (maintaining current services).--Provide
    a total of $6.4 billion for the Indian Health Service in fiscal year
    2020, a 33 percent increase over the fiscal year 2016 planning base
        2.  $150 million for Opioid Funding.--Increase funding and include
    Tribal set asides in any funding decisions to States
        3.  Purchased and Referred Care (PRC).--Provide an increase of
    $474.4 million
        4.  $158 Million for Mental Health.--For behavioral health services
    to increase the ability of Tribes to further develop innovative and
    culturally appropriate prevention and treatment programs that are so
    greatly needed in Tribal communities.
    Squaxin Island Tribe Background
        We are native people of South Puget Sound and descendants of the
    maritime people who lived and prospered along these shores for untold
    centuries. We are known as the People of the Water because of our
    strong cultural connection to the natural beauty and bounty of Puget
    Sound going back hundreds of years. The Squaxin Island Indian
    Reservation is located in southeastern Mason County, Washington and the
    Tribe is a signatory to the 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty. We were one of
    the first 30 federally-recognized Tribes to enter into a Compact of
    Self-Governance with the United States.
        Our treaty-designated reservation, Squaxin Island, is approximately
    2.2 square miles of uninhabited forested land, surrounded by the bays
    and inlets of southern Puget Sound. Because the Island lacks fresh
    water, the Tribe has built its community on roughly 26 acres at
    Kamilche, Washington purchased and placed into trust. The Tribe also
    owns 6 acres across Pickering Passage from Squaxin Island and a plot of
    36 acres on Harstine Island, across Peale Passage. The total land area
    including off-reservation trust lands is 1,715.46 acres. In addition,
    the Tribe manages roughly 500 acres of Puget Sound tidelands.
        The Tribal government and our economic enterprises constitute the
    largest employer in Mason County with over 1,250 employees. The Tribe
    has a current enrollment of 1,040 and an on-reservation population of
    426 living in 141 homes. Squaxin has an estimated service area
    population of 2,747; a growth rate of about 10 percent, and an
    unemployment rate of about 30 percent (according to the BIA Labor Force
    Report).
    Squaxin Island Tribe Specific Requests/Justifications
        1.  $500,000--Shellfish Management--BIA
            The Squaxin Island Tribe faces an ongoing budget deficit to
    maintain and operate the shellfish program at its current level of
    operation-a level that leaves 20 percent of treaty-designated State
    lands and 80-90 percent of private tidelands unharvested due to lack of
    funding. To address this shortfall and enable effective growth and
    development of the program, an annual minimum increase of $500,000 is
    requested. Shellfish have been a mainstay for the Squaxin Island people
    for thousands of years and are important today for subsistence,
    economic and ceremonial purposes. The Tribe's right to harvest
    shellfish is guaranteed by the 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty. Today, we
    are unable to fully exercise our treaty rights due to lack of Federal
    support for our shellfish management program.
        2.  $3 Million Increase to the Base Funding for the Northwest
    Indian Treatment Center (NWITC) Residential Program--IHS

          ``D3WXbi Palil'' meaning ``Returning from the Dark, Deep Waters
    to the Light"

            The Squaxin Island Tribe has been operating the Northwest
    Indian Treatment Center (NWITC) since 1994. The Center, given the
    spiritual name ``D3WXbi Palil'' meaning ``Returning from the Dark, Deep
    Waters to the Light'', is a residential chemical dependency treatment
    facility designed to serve Native Americans who have chronic relapse
    patterns related to unresolved grief and trauma. NWITC serves adult
    clients from Tribes located in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. We
    facilitate Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)--suboxone and vivitrol
    injections which are cutting edge components of opioid addictions.
    Since the original congressional set-aside in the IHS budget for
    alcohol and substance abuse treatment for residential facilities and
    placement contracts with third-party agencies in 1993, NWITC has not
    received an adequate increase in the base IHS budget. With the well-
    documented nation-wide rise in prescription opioid and heroin abuse, it
    is more critical than ever to increase the NWITC's annual base in order
    to sustain the current services to the Tribes of the Northwest. AI/AN
    face opioid related fatalities three times the rate of non-Natives.
            An increase of $3.0 million would restore lost purchasing
    power, ensure adequate baseline operating funds and allow NWITC to
    continue to meet the needs of those who are struggling to recovery and
    return to their families and Native communities.
    NATIONAL Requests and Recommendations--Bureau of Indian Affairs
        1.  BIA Rights Protection--Increase funding to $52 million.--This
    Subactivity Account has a clear and direct relationship with the
    Federal trust obligation to Tribes. This program ensures compliance
    with Federal court orders by implementing effective Tribal self-
    regulatory and co-management systems. The benefits of these programs
    accrue not only to Tribes, but to the larger communities as well. In
    addition, this program supports implementation of the United States/
    Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty.
        2.  Fully Fund Fixed Costs and Tribal Pay Costs.--Partial funding
    or failing to fund Pay Costs for Tribes has devastated Tribal
    communities by causing critical job losses. Over 900 Tribal jobs have
    been lost and an estimated 300 more jobs will be permanently lost on an
    annual basis if 100 percent Pay Costs are not provided. The Tribal
    losses are being further exacerbated by recent projections of costs
    that have been significantly underestimated. We strongly urge full
    funding of fixed costs and Tribal pay costs.
        3.  Increase Tribal Base Funding (instead of through grants).--
    Grant funding, particularly inside the BIA, is not consistent with the
    intent of Tribal self-determination. Tribal leaders have grown
    increasingly frustrated by the increase in Indian Affairs funding offer
    through grants. Allocating new funds via grants marginalizes and
    impedes Tribal Self-Determination and Self-Governance. Provide
    increases via Tribal base funding instead of through grants to Tribal
    governments
    NATIONAL Requests and Recommendations--Indian Health Service
        1.  IHS mandatory funding (maintaining current services)--Provide a
    total of $6.4 billion for fiscal year 2020, a 33 percent increase over
    2016 planning phase.--If these mandatory requirements are not funded,
    Tribes have no choice but to cut health services, which further reduces
    the quantity and quality of healthcare services available to AI/AN
    citizens.
        2.  $150 million for Opioid Funding.--Increase funding and include
    Tribal set asides in any funding decisions to States. Addressing the
    opioid epidemic is a nationwide priority. American Indians and Alaska
    Natives face opioid related fatalities three times the rate on non-
    Indians. Tribal governments must be included in major agency-wide
    funding decisions, including to States, to treat and prevent opioid
    misuse.
        3.  Purchased and Referred Care (PRC)--Provide an increase of
    $474.4 million.--The Purchased/Referred Care program pays for urgent
    and emergent and other critical services that are not directly
    available through IHS and Tribally-operated health programs when no IHS
    direct care facility exists, or the direct care facility cannot provide
    the required emergency or specialty care, or the facility has more
    demand for services than it can currently meet.
    NATIONAL Requests and Recommendations
        Squaxin Island Tribe supports the National Budget Requests of the
    National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the National Indian
    Health Board (NIHB).
        Thank you for accepting the fiscal year 2020 budget requests and
    recommendations for the Squaxin Island Tribe.

        [This statement was submitted by Ray Peters, Intergovernmental
    Affairs Liaison.]
                                     ______

              Prepared Statement of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
        I am Ira Taken Alive, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux
    Tribe. The Tribe appreciates the opportunity to submit written
    testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior,
    Environment and Related Agencies concerning the Tribe's fiscal year
    2020 funding needs financed through appropriations to the Bureau of
    Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and Indian
    Health Service (IHS).
        I want to begin by telling you a little bit about the Standing Rock
    Sioux Tribe and our relationship with the United States which is based
    on the Treaties that we signed in 1851 and 1868. These Treaties
    underscore the ongoing promises and obligations of the United States to
    the Tribe, and our testimony is submitted with those promises and
    obligations in mind. To that end, the Tribe wishes to express its
    support for Ranking Member Udall's legislation to provide advance
    funding for the BIA and IHS. Tribal programs should not suffer because
    of the political challenges in Washington, D.C. All too often, the
    success or failure of Tribal programs are dependent on Federal
    appropriations.
        Despite the Tribe's best efforts, our unemployment rate remains
    above 50 percent. In fact, over 40 percent of Indian families on our
    Reservation live in poverty--more than triple the average U.S. poverty
    rate. The disparity is worse for children, as 52 percent of the
    Reservation population under age 18 lives below poverty, compared to 16
    percent and 19 percent in North and South Dakota, respectively.
        These statistics are daunting. They can leave our people,
    especially our children without hope, so I want to share with you, just
    one story of a person who did something to give our children hope. It
    is my story. I am telling you this story not because I want praise or
    thanks, but because I want you to know that the programs that you fund
    in the budgets of the BIA and the IHS make a difference and your work
    in deciding which programs of the BIA, BIE and IHS to increase and
    expand is critical to the future success of Indian communities and must
    continue.
        In the fall of 2014, I started a cheer team at my former high
    school in McLaughlin, SD. I had to struggle to find five girls who
    wanted to participate and who could commit to the work that it took to
    actively participate on a school cheer team.
        With the support of another rural small school, the Newall School,
    the girls worked hard and learned the routines. They kept their grades
    up and they committed themselves to the daily practices. Our goal at
    the start of the year was that if our girls' high school basketball
    team went to the State tournament, we would be in position to the win
    the coveted South Dakota Spirit of Six Award. This award is in memory
    of a cheer team who tragically died in a plane crash on their way to
    State.
        Well, like a Hollywood movie, my girls made it to the State
    championship tournament. To win the Spirit of Six Award, the team was
    judged at all times, whether they were cheering or not.
        Just to remind you, these young women had rarely left the
    Reservation, let alone competed on a State-wide stage with crowds as
    large as 2,000 people and live TV coverage. To be in the running, they
    had to be poised, respectful and joyful at all times. I am still so
    proud to say that bucking the odds, the first year cheer team from
    McLaughlin, SD won the award.
        I cannot tell you the importance to these young women and to the
    community of McLaughlin, SD to have this high caliber positive
    recognition of the hard work and dedication the girls from Standing
    Rock exhibited.
        This story demonstrates that it is community based programs like
    this that can make such an important difference in children's lives and
    positively affect their future development.
        This story also demonstrates that these programs must be developed
    in close consultation with the Tribal governments and the communities
    that they are intended to serve. Moreover, these programs must be
    intertwined with one another. A person needs help at school, after
    school, in her home, and when she wants to leave home for higher
    education and other opportunities.
        This is why creating a new initiative like the mental health/
    substance abuse pilot program, based on the Special Diabetes for
    Indians Program, is such a good idea. A pilot program of dedicated,
    targeted funds for Tribes to develop culturally appropriate tools to
    address substance abuse and mental health needs in their communities
    will put Tribes in the driver seat to combat these challenges and
    create positive futures for Native children.
        Community based programs make a real difference in the lives of
    children and play an important role in helping them success in future.
    Programs that build self-esteem in Tribal youth, and which provide them
    with important coping skills, are programs that will have a lasting
    impact on them throughout their lives. As a Tribal leader, school board
    member, and cheer team coach, I can tell you that this is the best way
    for governments to deliver services to their citizens.
        Thank you for the opportunity to present this testimony.

                                     ______

    Prepared Statement of Support of the Underrepresented Communities Civil
                               Rights Grant deg.
    Prepared Statement in Support of the Underrepresented Communities Civil
                                  Rights Grant
    May 28, 2019

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski                The Honorable Tom Udall
    Chairman                                    Ranking Member
    Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and   Subcommittee on Interior,
     Related Agencies                            Environment and Related
    Senate Committee on Appropriations           Agencies
    131 Dirksen Senate Office Building          Senate Committee on
    Washington, DC 20510                         Appropriations
                                                131 Dirksen Senate Office
                                                 Building
                                                Washington, DC 20510

    Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall,

        Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation,
    Hispanic Access Foundation, Latinos in Heritage Conservation, and the
    undersigned 43 groups and 66 individuals encourage the Committee on
    Appropriations to support the Underrepresented Communities Civil Rights
    Grant with a $30 million appropriation for fiscal year 2020.
        Funded through the National Park System's Historic Preservation
    Fund (HPF), the Underrepresented Communities Civil Rights Grant program
    would use non-tax payer dollars to partner with States and Tribes to
    help save important places in our communities. The HPF provides
    matching grants to State and Tribal historic preservation offices to
    support surveys of historic resources, training, nominations to the
    National Register of Historic Places, and grants to local
    jurisdictions. HPF was established in 1977, is currently authorized at
    $150 million per year, and is funded by Outer Continental Shelf oil
    lease revenues, not tax dollars. These funds are spent locally on
    preservation projects, with selection decisions made at the State
    level. In short, it makes preservation possible.
        Historic preservation projects assisted by grants like the existing
    African American Civil Rights Grant Program generate billions of
    dollars in heritage tourism annually, while helping public and private
    partners tell unique and powerful stories of the African American
    struggle for equality in the 20th Century.
        The expansion of the program to the Underrepresented Communities
    Civil Rights Grants will increase the program's impact by not only
    documenting, interpreting, and preserving the sites and stories related
    to a more inclusive story of American history, but also increasing the
    audience appeal for such projects. This proposed program expansion is
    an opportunity to multiply the economic impact of the existing program
    across the United States.
        A review by the National Historic Landmarks Committee found that
    less than 8 percent (8 percent) of designated landmarks specifically
    represented the stories of Native Americans, African Americans,
    American Latinos, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, women, LGBTQ, and
    other underrepresented groups. There are few sites associated with
    these groups despite their long histories in the United States from the
    earliest settlement of the country to the economic development of the
    West to the desegregation of public schools in the 20th century and
    political influence in the 21st.
        Including women, these groups make up more than 50 percent of the
    U.S. population. Representation matters; this Federal grant will allow
    us to narrate our stories, which may be misrepresented or otherwise
    ignored within a larger society, with accuracy and dignity. This
    promotes understanding and compassion and has the power to lessen
    social inequalities.
        All Americans should be able to see themselves, their history, and
    their potential in both our collective story and our national
    landscape. As you consider fiscal year 2020 funding levels, we hope
    that you will continue the broad bi-partisan support for this National
    Park Service grant program that is vitally important to preserving so
    many more of our great American stories.

    Sincerely,

    Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation
    Hispanic Access Foundation
    Latinos in Heritage Conservation

    Co-Signed by:

                                 ORGANIZATIONS

    2021
    African American Community, Cultural, and Educational Society
    Alamo City Democracy Project
    American Anthropological Association
    American Association for State and Local History
    American Cultural Resources Association
    Asian American Studies Department and Center, UCLA
    Coalition for American Heritage
    Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation
    Curba
    Chispa, League of Conservation Voters
    Documents of Resistance
    Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
    Filipino American National Historical Society--Metro New York City
    Chapter
    Filipino American National Historical Society
    GLBT Historical Society
    Hispanic Federation
    Indiana Landmarks
    Landmarks Illinois
    Latino Outdoors
    National LGBTQ Center for the Arts
    National Parks Conservation Association
    National Trust for Historic Preservation
    Native American Land Conservancy
    Native Womens Wilderness
    Nature For All
    OCA Greater Chicago
    Pratt Institute
    Preservation Chicago
    Preservation Texas
    Society for American Archaeology
    Society for Historical Archaeology
    Spanish Heritage Foundation of Riverside
    St. Mary's University
    Tataviam Land Conservancy
    The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)
    Turning Wheel--University of San Diego
    UC Davis Library/Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies
    University of California, Riverside Public History Program
    University of Houston
    University of Maryland, College Park
    UT Austin
    Westside Preservation Alliance

                                  INDIVIDUALS

    Stuart Berman
    Cathie Bond
    Tanya Bowers
    Caroline Calderon
    Antonia Castaneda, PhD
    Marsh Davis
    Rachel Delgado
    Lisa DiChiera
    John Dichtl
    xenia diente
    Doreen Duran
    Maria Espinosa
    Henry Flores
    Moises Garcia
    John Gonzalez
    Jaylyn Gough
    Sarah Zenaida Gould, PhD
    Catherine Gudis, PhD
    Estella Habal, PhD
    Lawana Holland-Moore
    Celeste Hong
    Judy Jauregui
    Rita Jirasek
    Nicole Johnson
    Lewis Kasner
    Alvina Lai
    Kristi Lin
    Kelly Lizarraga
    Mary Losh
    Jose Madrid
    Michelle Magalong, PhD
    Magda Mankel
    Nancy Melendez
    Mabel Menard
    Ward Miller
    Jane Montanaro
    Helen Mora
    Beatrice Moreno
    Sehila Mota Casper
    Ron Muriera
    Adam Natenshon
    Kim Orbe
    Gregg Orton
    Alberto Pulido
    Ray Rast, PhD
    Paul ruiz
    RoxanneRyce-Paul
    Graciela Isabel Sanchez
    Allan Jason Sarmiento
    Erica Schultz
    Mary Lu Seidel
    Antonio Serna
    Carol Shull
    Monica Sosa
    Alan Spears
    Roberto Tejada
    Evan Thompson
    Edward Torrez
    Joseph Trujillo
    Sharon Trujillo-Kasner
    Karen Umemoto, PhD
    Luis Villa
    Bill Watanabe
    Shayne Watson
    Lily Anne Welty Tamai

                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition
        May 17, 2019

    The Honorable Lisa Murkowski                The Honorable Tom Udall
    Chairman                                    Ranking Member
    House Committee on Appropriations           House Committee on
    Interior, Environment, and Related           Appropriations
     Agencies                                   Interior, Environment and
                                                 Related Agencies

    Dear Chairman McCollum, Ranking Member Joyce, and Honorable Committee
    Members:

        The Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition (SUFC) is comprised of more
    than 35 national organizations and corporations representing hundreds
    of thousands of professionals--and millions of supporters--who care for
    and support sustainable trees and green infrastructure in our Nation's
    communities. We thank you for the fiscal year 2019 funding levels,
    especially the increased funding for the USDA Forest Service Urban and
    Community Forestry program. Collectively, we urge support for several
    programs across various agencies under the Interior Subcommittee's
    jurisdiction that support urban and community forests and green
    infrastructure.
        Our Nation's urban and community forests impact over 190 million
    Americans and are vital to creating and maintaining healthy, livable
    communities of all sizes by providing many scientifically proven
    social, economic, and environmental benefits to people. The ability to
    reduce air pollution and stormwater runoff, decrease energy
    consumption, mitigate the heat island effect, improve human health have
    directly or indirectly reduced costs in communities by millions of
    dollars. The collective value and benefits of community trees equals
    over $10 billion nationwide. With a projected 394 million Americans
    living in urbanized areas by 2050, investing in trees and better ways
    to grow trees to create livable communities needs to happen now.
        The Federal support and leadership through the USDA Forest Service
    and overarching Urban and Community Forestry program leverages funds
    ranging from two to five times for each dollar invested in projects and
    grants. The Federal ``seed'' money is often the key to implementing
    these programs at the State and local level. Most smaller communities
    do not have the resources to practice urban tree management. The
    Federal funds utilized by the States provides the resources to initiate
    their programs to manage the trees in their communities. These same
    funds set the bar for urban tree management in larger communities and
    at the State level, reducing redundancy and allowing consistency of
    care across the Nation. The cumulative benefit to the country from each
    community achieves a national improvement to be recognized at the
    Federal level.
    USDA Forest Service: State and Private Forestry
      --Urban and Community Forestry Program (U&CF)

              U&CF directly assists State government, nonprofit
            organizations, and partners that manage and steward our
            Nation's urban and community forests. Working with the State
            forestry agencies, the program provides technical, financial,
            research, and educational support and services to local
            government, nonprofit organizations, community groups,
            educational institutions, and Tribal governments.
              In fiscal year 2018, U&CF assisted 7,951 urban and rural
            communities and nearly 206 million people in all 50 States, the
            District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, and affiliated Pacific
            Island Nations. U&CF is a high-impact program and a smart
            investment, as Federal support is often leveraged 2:1 (or in
            many cases significantly more) by States and partner
            organizations. There are 9,121 communities that have adopted
            and can present documentation of local/Statewide ordinances or
            policies that focus on community trees. In fiscal year 2017, 33
            percent of the communities served were rural. U&CF engages
            citizens in cities and towns, brings together diverse partners
            with public and private resources, and demonstrates that
            Federal investment can have huge and lasting impacts on
            communities of all sizes.
              SUFC is deeply concerned by past proposals to defund the U&CF
            program. Zeroing out this important program would completely
            erode the capacity that has been developed in cities and towns
            of all sizes and jeopardize many local public and private
            partnerships and collaborative projects where Federal
            assistance is essential. SUFC recommends the Urban and
            Community Forestry Program be funded at $35 million in fiscal
            year 2020.

      --Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR)

              National priority Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) projects
            are a key way that States, in collaboration with the USDA
            Forest Service and other partners, address critical forest
            priorities across the landscape. LSR projects focus on the most
            critical priorities identified in each State's Forest Action
            Plan and on achieving national goals as laid out in the State
            and Private Forestry national themes. The competitive grant
            process ensures innovative approaches to restoration work are
            proposed and priority is given to projects that further the
            advancement of State Forest Action Plans. As a result, LSR
            contributes to achieving results across the landscape and
            making meaningful local, regional, and national impacts. SUFC
            recommends funding the Landscape Scale Restoration program at
            $20 million in fiscal year 2020.

      --Community Forests and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP)

              CFP has made substantial progress in preserving forests by
            increasing opportunities for Americans to connect with forests
            in their own communities and fostering new public-private
            partnerships. Since its first grant round in fiscal year 2012,
            CFP has supported 51 community forest projects across 21 States
            and territories and leveraged more than twice the Federal
            investment. Thanks to these partnerships, more than 12,300
            acres of private forestlands--much of it in rural areas--have
            been, or soon will be, acquired to create new--or expand
            existing--community forests. SUFC recommends an increase in
            funds to $5 million in fiscal year 2020.

      --Forest Health Management

              Forests across the country are threatened by increasing
            numbers of insects and disease pathogens introduced from abroad
            and entering this country through urban ports. As a result,
            municipal governments across the U.S. are spending an estimated
            $2.4 billion each year to remove trees on city property killed
            by non-native pests. Homeowners are spending an additional $1
            billion to remove and replace trees on their properties and are
            absorbing an additional $1.5 billion in reduced property
            values. The pests often spread from the cities to rural and
            wildland forests, where the full spectrum of forest values is
            at risk. This program provides essential expertise and
            assistance to State and municipal agencies and private
            landowners working to prevent these pests' spread and minimize
            the damage they cause. We recommend $48 million for cooperative
            lands programs under the Forest Health Management program in
            fiscal year 2020.
    USDA Forest Service: Forest and Rangeland Research
     SUFC urges the subcommittee to provide $315 million for the overall
            R&D program for fiscal year 2020.
      --Urban and Community Forestry Research

              The Forest Service Research and Development (R&D) program
            provides critical financial support for urban forestry research
            activities to develop information and tools for understanding
            conditions and trends in our Nation's urban and community
            forests. USDA Forest Service researchers have made huge strides
            in recent years through collaborative efforts to develop new
            tools, such as i-Tree, for mapping current tree cover,
            assessing trends, developing local strategies, and building
            greater understanding of the environmental, economic, and
            social services that trees and forests provide to communities.
            We urge the subcommittee to continue including language in
            Interior Appropriations reports encouraging the USDA Forest
            Service to maintain a strong and vibrant urban forest research
            program.

      --Non-Native Insects and Diseases Research

              Among the major research challenges facing R&D is the
            destruction of our Nation's urban forests caused by non-native
            insects and diseases. People who value urban forests join
            supporters of rural and wildland forests in depending on USDA
            Forest Service R&D to develop better tools for pest detection
            and protective strategies, including chemical and biological
            controls and breeding of trees resistant to pests. The most
            recent data available to us indicate that USDA Forest Service
            research stations allocate only about $3 million for research
            on non-native insects and diseases--less than 1 percent of its
            total budget. In the absence of a budget line item for invasive
            species research, we urge the subcommittee to include language
            in its Interior Appropriations report encouraging the USDA
            Forest Service to increase funding for research targeting non-
            native insects and pathogens.

      --Urban Forests in Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)

              The collaborative efforts between SUFC and the USDA Forest
            Service brought urban forest data into the mainstream of the
            agency's national data-collection program. FIA has long
            provided the Nation's forest census, but it had not
            historically included urban areas because of its definition of
            forests. We ask the subcommittee to encourage the USDA Forest
            Service to continue and strengthen its efforts to integrate
            urban forest data into FIA so that its critical data-collection
            efforts address all of our Nation's forests, including our
            current and expanding 138 million acres of urban forest land.
    Environmental Protection Agency
      --Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF)

              Green infrastructure, including urban forests, can be a cost-
            effective and resilient approach to managing stormwater. The
            use of green infrastructure for stormwater control also
            provides many community co-benefits enumerated above. SUFC is
            pleased that EPA supports the use of green infrastructure for
            stormwater management and that green infrastructure is an
            eligible use under the CWSRF--a critical financing program for
            local communities investing in water infrastructure. SUFC
            supports robust funding for CWSRF, along with efforts to expand
            the use of green infrastructure to 20 percent to meet Clean
            Water Act goals.
    The National Park Service
      --Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLPP)

              The State and Local Assistance Program provides matching
            grants to States and localities for protection and development
            of parks and recreation resources. It is the primary Federal
            investment tool to ensure that families have easy access to
            urban forests in parks and open space, as well as neighborhood
            recreation resources. This nationally competitive program
            complements the existing State and local assistance program by
            creating opportunities for outdoor play while developing or
            enhancing outdoor recreation partnerships in cities. SUFC
            requests robust funding for the State and local assistance
            program, which includes $20 million for ORLPP in fiscal year
            2020.

                            Supporting SUFC Members

    Alliance for Community Trees
    American Forests
    American Planning Association (APA)
    American Society of Consulting Arborists
    American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
    Arbor Day Foundation (ADF)
    Bartlett Tree Foundation
    Center for Invasive Species Prevention
    Corazon Latino
    Green Infrastructure Center
    International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
    Keep America Beautiful (KAB)
    National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA)
    National Association of Counties (NACo)
    National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)
    National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP)
    National Association of State Foresters (NASF)
    National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
    OPEI Foundation
    Professional Grounds Maintenance Society
    The Davey Foundation
    The Nature Conservancy
    Society of American Foresters (SAF)
    Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA)
    Student Conservation Association (SCA)
    Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA)
    TREE Fund
    Trees Forever
    The Trust for Public Land
    Water Environment Federation (WEF)
    Wildlife Habitat Council

                                     ______

               Prepared Statement of the Tanana Chiefs Conference
        The Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) appreciates the opportunity to
    submit written testimony to the subcommittee regarding our priorities
    for fiscal year 2020 concerning appropriations for the Bureau of Indian
    Affairs (BIA) and Indian Health Service (IHS). We are grateful for this
    subcommittee's bipartisanship reflected in the Consolidated
    Appropriations Act of 2019's rejection of previous calls from the
    administration for deep cuts to Alaska Native and American Indian
    programs and services. We appreciate the positive results the
    subcommittee has made possible in Alaska, and we ask the subcommittee
    to build on its successes realized in the fiscal year 2019 budget when
    deciding on funding for BIA and IHS programs for fiscal year 2020.
        TCC is a non-profit intertribal consortium of 37 federally-
    recognized Indian Tribes and 41 communities located across Alaska's
    interior. TCC serves approximately 18,000 Alaska Natives in Fairbanks
    where TCC headquarters is located, and in the rural villages in
    Alaska's vast interior, located along the 1,400 mile Yukon River and
    its tributaries.
        To give you an idea of that great distance, Washington, D.C. is
    only around 1,000 miles from Kansas City, Missouri, which Senator Blunt
    represents. There's a lot of country between Washington, D.C. and
    Kansas City--and TCC's region is much larger than that area. Imagine
    how our 41 Alaska Native communities feel in Alaska's vast Interior.
    These villages are remote, often inaccessible by car. Alaska Native
    residents must overcome many challenges to sustain healthy communities,
    educate their children, ensure their health and safety, and care for
    their elders and themselves. This subcommittee, better than most,
    understands the great unmet needs in healthcare, public safety,
    education and job training faced by Alaska Native communities which
    struggle to provide essential services to maintain their members and
    culture.
        Not too long ago, Congressman Cole of Oklahoma laid out the stark
    truth; 2016 Federal per capita healthcare spending on Alaska Natives
    and American Indians, compared to Federal spending on Medicare,
    Veterans, and Medicaid recipients was ``at the absolute bottom, and not
    by a little bit, but by a lot.'' The figures don't lie: $2,834 in per
    capita spending for IHS medical care expenditures per person versus
    $12,744 in Medicare spending for 2016. That is about four and-a-half
    times the per capita expenditure level by the IHS. Federal
    appropriations for the IHS would need to more than triple just to match
    the per capita national health spending level of $9,990 per person. The
    Congressman could not understand the basis for the administration
    proposed cuts to IHS funding the administration proposed that year and
    neither could we. He stated that a $300 million cut in IHS funding was
    ``not defensible or acceptable.''
        Recent increases have helped stop the healthcare gap from widening
    into even more of a chasm, but the underlying concerns remain.
        For this reason, TCC supports the administration's proposed
    increase of $140 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted amount for
    IHS, but more is needed. TCC supports the recommendation of the
    National Indian Health Board (NIHB) to fully fund the IHS through the
    enactment of a true ``needs based budget,'' phased in over 12 years,
    with at least a 36 percent increase (to $7 billion) in IHS funding for
    fiscal year 2020, as well as providing advance appropriations for the
    IHS. So long as the IHS budget is part of the Interior appropriation,
    such increases will remain our great collective challenge. In addition,
    the subcommittee should continue to reject the administration's calls
    to eliminate funding for the Health Education program and cut $39
    million from the Community Health Representative program.
        Nonetheless, we urge the Committee to continue its bipartisan work
    and increase fiscal year 2020 appropriations above the fiscal year 2019
    enacted level to reduce continued healthcare disparities between Alaska
    Native and American Indians and non-Natives. According to the IHS:

      --Alaska Natives and American Indians born today have a life
            expectancy that is 4.4 years less than the U.S. all races
            population (73.7 years to 78.1 years);
      --Alaska Natives and American Indians continue to die at higher rates
            than other Americans in many categories, including chronic
            liver disease and cirrhosis (nearly 5 times the rate), diabetes
            mellitus (3 times), unintentional injuries (2.5 times),
            assault/homicide (2 times), suicide (2 times), and alcohol-
            induced death (7 times);
      --According to a 2016 study examining behavioral health programs and
            Medicaid in Alaska: ``Statewide gaps in the continuum of care
            combined with gaps in healthcare coverage perpetuate a cycle of
            crisis response and create costly inefficiencies.''
      --According to the CDC, the suicide rate among Alaska Natives is
            almost four times the U.S. general population rate and at least
            six times the national average in some parts of the State.
      --According to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services,
            in 2011, over 50 percent of some 4,500 reports of maltreatment
            substantiated by Alaska's child protective services, and over
            60 percent of nearly 800 children removed from their homes were
            Alaska Native children.

        We must stop this cycle of abuse and destruction. Alaska Native
    villages require the resources to build healthy families and
    communities. They do so by ensuring Alaska Native families have such
    basic necessities as housing, healthcare and public safety services.
    This Subcommittee has worked in a bipartisan manner to increase funds
    for Alaska Native villages and Tribes in such areas in recognition of
    the great unmet needs faced by Alaska Native communities. For rural
    interior Alaska Native communities facing a State budget crisis for
    fiscal year 2020, Federal appropriations make the difference between
    the success and failure of our efforts and, in turn, the wellness of
    our Tribal members. We have faith that this Committee will defend and
    increase fiscal year 2020 Federal funding levels for Indian Country.
    1. Improve Tribal Health Care Quality and Access (IHS)
        Build on the Fiscal Year 2019 Enacted Budget for IHS.--TCC greatly
    appreciates the $266.4 million increase over the fiscal year 2018
    enacted level for the IHS included in the Consolidated Appropriations
    Act of 2019, and full payment of Contract Support Costs. However, more
    is needed to address the critical health needs in our Alaska Native
    communities, and reduce the health disparities they experience. Major
    increases are needed especially for purchased and referred care and for
    small ambulatory clinics construction and staffing. TCC remains one of
    the only Tribal health entities in Alaska that does not have a regional
    hospital, so our members are more dependent on village clinics to
    provide routine and emergency healthcare. We also rely heavily on P/RC
    funds. We also appreciate your acknowledgment that housing shortages in
    Alaska contribute to the high vacancy rates for medical personnel,
    especially in rural areas.
        TCC cannot understand why the administration proposes in fiscal
    year 2020 to eliminate funding for the Health Education Program, or
    reduce funding for the Community Health Representatives program. Nor
    can we understand the administration cutting IHS Facilities program
    funding some $77 million when our needs are so great. We are confident
    that the subcommittee with reject these cuts, but such reversals must
    be met with increased appropriation based on the continued unmet needs
    for clinical facilities and hospitals in Alaska and throughout Indian
    country.
        TCC greatly appreciates the administration including $150 million
    in the fiscal year 2020 budget for the Special Diabetes Program for
    Indians (SDPI). We recommend that Congress move this appropriation to
    ``mandatory'' and increase the program to at least $200 million for
    fiscal year 2020.
        With respect to the payment of full Contract Support Costs, we are
    appreciative of the Committee's use of an indefinite appropriations.
    Unfortunately, however, the IHS has made its CSC policy unduly
    complicated and we urge the subcommittee to continue to monitor that
    the agency faithfully implements direction from the subcommittee on
    this subject as well as Supreme Court holdings. Full payment of CSCs
    means just that and the IHS should not be permitted, by its policies,
    to undermine that essential goal.
    2. Expand Public Safety and Tribal Court in Interior Alaska
        As our Chief and President, Victor Joseph, testified last year, we
    cannot stress enough the importance village leaders place protecting
    our children, and all Tribal members from sexual abuse, domestic
    violence and substance abuse. TCC is on record with numerous
    resolutions to express our members' exasperation over insufficient
    public safety services in our remote Alaska Native Villages. We cannot
    state it any clearer: Interior Alaska's rates of sexual abuse, domestic
    violence, and child rape are among the highest in the Nation. We have a
    crisis.
        For that reason, we oppose the proposed cuts to the BIA budget
    included in the administration's fiscal year 2020 budget. These
    proposed cuts are unwise, and reflect an abandonment of the Federal
    trust responsibility to Indian Tribes and American Indian and Alaska
    Native people. TCC appreciates the fiscal year 2019 enacted increase of
    $2.5 million for Public Safety and Justice funds and cannot understand
    how the administration can justify its proposal to cut $10 million from
    this funding for fiscal year 2020.
        We also appreciate the Committee's continued appropriations for
    Public Law 280 courts and Report language that expresses the
    Committee's ``concern'' about Tribal courts' needs identified in the
    Indian Law and Order Commission's November 2013 report, which
    highlighted the fact that ``Federal investment in Tribal justice in
    'Public Law 280' States [like Alaska,] has been more limited than
    elsewhere in Indian Country.'' The Committee directed the BIA to work
    with Tribes and Tribal organizations in Public Law 280 States to
    consider options that promote, design, or pilot Tribal court systems
    for Tribal communities that are subject to full or partial State
    jurisdiction under Public Law 280.
        TCC has limited recurring funds to pay for our Village Public
    Safety Officer (VPSO) program which works in conjunction with Alaska
    State Troopers. Our VPSOs are the ``First Responders in the Last
    Frontier'' and they respond to emergency calls, fire, EMS and search
    and rescue. With limited funds for public safety, the role of Tribal
    Courts in Alaska Native villages is critical. It allows our villages to
    address public safety concerns at the community level and break the
    cycle of arrest, prosecution and incarceration.
        We urge the Committee to provide increased funds for Public Law 280
    courts so that we may better address public safety issues in our remote
    Interior Alaska Tribal communities.
    3. Expand Tribal Opportunities for Job Training and Economic
            Development
        TCC continues its mission to assist hundreds of Tribal members in
    Fairbanks and in our Native villages with CDL classes, employment
    training in such areas as facility maintenance, flooring and cabinet
    installation, plumbing, plastic and cooper pipe fitting, wildland
    firefighting training, and cooking. With unemployment rates among
    Alaska Natives and American Indians multiple times the current national
    unemployment rate of 3.6 percent, we cannot understand the continued
    lack of funding within the BIA's Community and Economic Development
    Programs. Nor can we expect that, under the administration's proposal
    to massively cut the BIA budget, sufficient funding will be available
    for Job Placement and Training programs. We are confident that the
    subcommittee will continue to improve appropriations for these critical
    areas; there is great dignity in learning a trade and providing for
    your family.
        Please provide meaningful increases to the BIA budget for these and
    related programs in the Interior Department's fiscal year 2020
    appropriations to help promote job creation in our rural Native
    villages where work is seasonal and unemployment remains high. Our
    current resources are simply inadequate to the task at hand.
        Thank you for permitting the Tanana Chiefs Conference the
    opportunity to submit written testimony.
                                     ______

             Prepared Statement of the Theatre Communications Group
        Madame Chairman and distinguished members of the subcommittee,
    Theatre Communications Group--the national service organization for the
    American theatre--is grateful for this opportunity to submit testimony
    on behalf of our over 500 not-for-profit member theatres across the
    country and the approximately 44 million audience members that the
    theatre community serves. We urge you to support funding at $167.5
    million for the National Endowment for the Arts for fiscal year 2020.
        The entire not-for-profit arts industry stimulates the economy,
    creates jobs, and attracts tourism dollars. The not-for-profit arts
    generate $166.3 billion annually in economic activity, support 4.6
    million jobs, and return $27.5 billion in government revenue. Art
    museums, exhibits, and festivals combine with performances of theatre,
    dance, opera, and music to draw tourists and their consumer dollars to
    communities nationwide. Federal funding for the arts creates a
    significant return, generating nine dollars in matching funds for each
    Federal dollar awarded, and is clearly an investment in the economic
    health of America. In an economy where corporate donations and
    foundation grants to the arts are diminished and increased ticket
    prices would undermine efforts to broaden and diversify audiences,
    these Federal funds simply cannot be replaced. Maintaining the strength
    of the not-for-profit sector, along with the commercial sector, is
    vital to supporting the economic health of our Nation.
        Our country's not-for-profit theatres present new works and serve
    as catalysts for economic growth in their local communities. These
    theatres also nurture and provide artistic homes for the development of
    the current and future generations of acclaimed writers, actors,
    directors, and designers working in regional theatre, on Broadway, and
    in the film and television industries. Our theatres develop innovative
    educational activities and outreach programs, providing millions of
    young people, including ``at-risk'' youth, with important skills for
    the future by expanding their creativity and developing problem-
    solving, reasoning, and communication abilities--preparing today's
    students to become tomorrow's citizens. At the same time, theatres have
    become increasingly responsive to their communities, serving as healing
    forces in difficult times and producing work that reflects and
    celebrates the strength of our Nation's diversity.
    Here are some recent examples of NEA grants and their community impact:
        Cleveland Public Theatre in Ohio has received a $10,000 ArtWorks
    grant from the NEA to support the development and premiere of The Mask
    of Flight. The play is inspired by the ways we cover and uncover
    ourselves. The ensemble will investigate the theme of masking through
    various examples of veiling--for instance, how we veil racism, how
    politically correct language can be a veil, how women cover for modesty
    and religious reasons vs. being forced to veil, how someone may veil
    their gender identity--and how these situations relate and intersect.
    The Mask of Flight will be a collage of short pieces springing from
    various works created for Cleveland Public Theatre's annual community
    events including Station Hope, a celebration of Cleveland's role in the
    Underground Railroad and an exploration of contemporary social justice
    issues. Annually, Cleveland Public Theatre engages over 800 children
    and families in public housing, teens from families defined as low-
    income, and formerly homeless men in recovery. These participants
    create original productions that are attended by 4,000 community
    members.
        Park Square Theatre in Minnesota has received a $10,000 Challenge
    America grant from the NEA to support the residency of Theatre Mu and
    their world premiere commission of The Korean Drama Addict's Guide to
    Losing Your Virginity by May Lee-Yang and to support community outreach
    programming. Theatre Mu engaged the local audience with talk-back
    discussions after performances and other engagement activities related
    to contemporary Korean and Hmong culture. Pay As You Are and other
    discounted tickets were offered for the entire three week run in order
    to make the performances as accessible as possible.
        Perseverance Theatre in Alaska has received a $15,000 ArtWorks
    grant from the NEA for the world premiere of Whale Song, by Cathy
    Tagnak Rexford (Inupiaq). The play explores the love of Inupiaq people
    for the bowhead whale, examining myth, gender roles, and the balance of
    duty to oneself versus duty to others. Featuring a primarily Alaska
    Native cast, Whale Song is part of Perseverance Theatre's 40th
    anniversary season. The theatre will offer Pay-As-You-Can previews and
    performances, student matinees, and a post-show discussion. Cathy
    Tagnak Rexford (Inupiaq) is a member of The Playwright's Circle, a
    group of 15 playwrights with the goal of developing diverse, new
    Alaskan plays and representing voices that were previously unheard.
    Perseverance Theatre serves over 17,000 artists, students, and
    audiences annually.
        Portland Stage Company in Maine has received a $15,000 ArtWorks
    grant from the NEA to support the world premiere of Babette's Feast,
    conceived and developed by Abbie Killeen, written by Rose Courtney, and
    adapted from the short story by Isak Dinesen. Babette's Feast tells the
    story of a refugee who transforms a closed religious community by
    sacrificing all she has in order to throw a lavish dinner party. The
    three-week run included 3 Pay-What-You-Can performances. Portland Stage
    also offered student matinees followed by talk back discussions; the
    theatre serves more than 7,000 students annually through its Student
    Matinee Program. Portland Stage Literacy and Education departments
    created Babette's Feast Playnotes--an extensive resource guide for
    students, teachers, and other audience members who wished to delve more
    deeply into the play. Babette's Feast was also a part of the Curtain
    Call Discussion Series, in which audience members had the opportunity
    to talk about the production with the performers. Throughout the run of
    the play, Portland Stage partnered with Wayside Food Program to run a
    food drive, with the goal of reaching 500 pounds of food.
        These are only a few examples of the kinds of extraordinary
    programs supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Indeed, the
    Endowment's Theatre Program is able to fund only 60 percent of the
    applications it receives, so 40 percent of applying theatres are turned
    away--in part because available funds are insufficient. Theatre
    Communications Group urges you to support a funding level of $167.5
    million for fiscal year 2020 for the NEA; to maintain citizen access to
    the cultural, educational, and economic benefits of the arts; and to
    advance creativity and innovation in communities across the United
    States.
        The arts infrastructure of the United States is critical to the
    Nation's well-being and economic vitality. It is supported by a
    remarkable combination of government, business, foundation, and
    individual donors and represents a striking example of Federal/State/
    private partnership. Federal support for the arts provides a measure of
    stability for arts programs nationwide and is critical at a time when
    other sources of funding are diminished. Further, the American public
    favors spending Federal tax dollars in support of the arts.
        Despite the President's proposal to eliminate the agency, the
    subcommittee and Congress approved a $2 million increase in fiscal year
    2019, which accounts for the NEA's current funding at $155 million in
    the fiscal year 2019 budget. We thank the subcommittee for its
    leadership in supporting the work of the NEA. Please stand firm against
    the President's second proposal to eliminate the NEA. We urge the
    subcommittee to fund the NEA at a level of $167.5 million to preserve
    the important cultural programs reaching Americans across the country.
        Thank you for considering this request.

        [This statement was submitted by Laurie Baskin, Director of
    Research, Policy & Collective Action.]
                                     ______

           Prepared Statement of the Tribal Law and Policy Institute
        A recent assessment from the U.S. Civil Rights Commission has found
    that ``Federal funding for Native American programs across the
    government remains grossly inadequate to meet the most basic needs the
    Federal Government is obligated to provide.'' \1\ Tribal leaders and
    citizens have known this for decades, and we urge Congress to fully
    fund the U.S. Government's treaty and statutory obligations.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ U.S. Comm'n on Civil Rights, Broken Promises: Continuing
    Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans, (2018) https://
    www.usccr.gov/pubs/2018/12-20-Broken-
    Promises.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        While Congress has dealt with a spending environment hampered by an
    austerity fiscal policy, including sequestration and tight limits on
    discretionary accounts, the Federal trust and treaty obligations to
    Indian country are no less imperative. The fact that these solemn
    agreements that are funded in the Federal budget have been subject to
    political impasses, including a recent 35-day Federal Government
    shutdown, highlights the need for solutions to protect vital Tribal
    governmental services from interruptions.
        The Tribal Law and Policy Institute (TLPI) is a 100 percent Native
    American operated non-profit corporation organized to design and
    deliver education, research, training, and technical assistance
    programs which promote the enhancement of justice in Indian country and
    the health, well-being, and culture of Native peoples. Our mission is
    to enhance and strengthen Tribal sovereignty and justice while honoring
    community values, protecting rights, and promoting well-being.
        The Indian Health Service (IHS) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
    provide core governmental services for Tribal nations, including
    hospitals, schools, law enforcement, child welfare programs, social
    services, and more. For many Tribal nations, most Tribal governmental
    services are funded by Federal sources as part of the treaty and trust
    responsibility. This is particularly important because Tribal nations
    lack the tax base and parity in tax authority under Federal law to
    raise governmental revenue to deliver services. Federal funding remains
    critical to ensure essential government services are delivered to
    Tribal citizens. In addition to the appropriations requests below, TLPI
    urges Congress to fund BIA and IHS through advance appropriations to
    protect Tribal governments and citizens from future shutdowns as well
    as cash flow problems that regularly occur at the start of the fiscal
    year.
                            bureau of indian affairs
        Along with the IHS, the BIA is one of the primary agencies
    responsible for providing services throughout Indian Country, either
    directly or through compacts or contracts with Tribal governments. As
    part of the fiscal year 2020 budget formulation process, Tribes from
    each BIA region completed a survey to outline which ten budget lines
    they would prefer to provide increased funding to and why. The
    formulation process provides a window into which program areas Tribes
    would prefer to see increases designated. The results of this process
    show that BIA Social Services, Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Tribal
    Courts, Aid to Tribal Government, Scholarships and Adult Education,
    Criminal Investigations/Policing, Road Maintenance, Housing, Johnson
    O'Malley, Detentions and Corrections, and Welfare Assistance made up
    the top 11.
        For Public Safety and Justice Programs, one of the most fundamental
    aspects of the Federal Government's trust responsibility is the
    obligation to protect public safety on Tribal lands. Congress and the
    United States Supreme Court have long acknowledged this obligation,
    which Congress most recently reaffirmed in the Tribal Law and Order Act
    expressly ``acknowledging the Federal nexus and distinct Federal
    responsibility to address and prevent crime in Indian Country.'' In
    2018 the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found that there continues to
    be ``systematic underfunding of Tribal law enforcement and criminal
    justice systems, as well as structural barriers in the funding and
    operation of criminal justice systems in Indian Country'' that
    undermine public safety.\2\ Tribal justice systems simply need the
    resources to put their tools to work so they can protect women,
    children and families, address substance abuse, rehabilitate first-time
    offenders, and put serious criminals behind bars.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ Id. at 32.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The underfunding of Tribal law enforcement and justice systems is
    well-documented. Most recently, the BIA submitted a report to Congress
    in 2017 estimating that to provide a minimum base level of service to
    all federally-recognized Tribes $1 billion is needed for Tribal law
    enforcement, $1 billion is needed for Tribal courts, and $222.8 million
    is needed to adequately fund existing detention centers.\3\ Based on
    recent appropriation levels, BIA is generally funding Tribal law
    enforcement at about 20 percent of estimated need, Tribal detention at
    about 40 percent of estimated need, and Tribal courts at a dismal 3
    percent of estimated need.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services. ``Report
    to Congress on Spending, Staffing, and Estimated Funding Costs for
    Public Safety and Justice Programs in Indian Country,'' (Aug, 16,
    2016), https://www.bia.gov/cs/groups/xojs/documents/document/idc2-
    051817.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        TLPI recommends an increase in base funding for Tribal courts, for
    a total of $83 million, which would must include courts in PL 280
    jurisdictions. The BIA estimates that full funding for Tribal courts
    would cost $1 billion. fiscal year 2018 funding for Tribal courts was
    $30.6 million, or 3 percent of the estimated need. TLPI also recommends
    an increase to BIA Law Enforcement of $200 million, for a total of $573
    million, which also must include Public Law 280 Tribes.
        BIA Social Services help to address the underlying conditions such
    as drug addiction, poverty, and violence that tend to create and
    perpetuate the circumstances that produce victims. Sub-activities
    include services in the areas of family and domestic violence, child
    abuse and neglect, and protective services. However, many Tribes'
    Social Services departments are understaffed and experience high
    turnover rates. A lack of increased yearly funding tends to hinder
    these protective services. TLPI recommends $55 million for BIA Social
    Services in fiscal year 2020.
                             indian health service
        The Federal responsibility for healthcare is rooted in the treaty
    and trust promises.\4\ Yet, the Federal Government has never fully
    lived up to this responsibility. Appropriations for the IHS have never
    been adequate to meet basic patient needs, and healthcare is delivered
    in mostly third world conditions. The Indian healthcare delivery system
    faces significant funding disparities, notably in per capita spending
    between the IHS and other Federal healthcare programs. The IHS has been
    and continues to be a critical institution in securing the health and
    wellness of Tribal communities. In fiscal year 2017, the IHS per capita
    expenditures were just $4,078, compared to $8,109 for Medicaid, $10,692
    for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and $13,185 for
    Medicare.\5\ New healthcare insurance opportunities and expanded
    Medicaid in some States may expand healthcare resources available to
    AI/ANs.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ See e.g. Geoffrey D. Strommer, Starla K. Roels, and Caroline P.
    Mayhew, Tribal Soverign Authority and Self-Regulation of Health Care
    Services: The Legal Framework and the Swinomish Tribe's Dental Health
    Program, 21:2 J. of Health Care Law and Policy 115 (2018).
        \5\ U.S. Gov't Accountability Office, Indian Health Service:
    Spending Levels and Characteristics of IHS and Three Other Federal
    Health Care Programs, GAO-19-74R, 5 (Dec. 10, 2018), https://
    www.gao.gov/assets/700/695871.pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        TLPI recommends the amount requested by the IHS Tribal Budget
    Formulation Workgroup for fiscal year 2020, a total of $7.03 billion
    for the Indian Health Service in fiscal year 2020. This amount would
    include an increase to maintain current services and other binding
    obligations and allow for program expansions, as listed in the
    Workgroup's fiscal year 2020 report. Further, IHS should be provided
    advance appropriations, and be exempted from Federal Government
    shutdowns and sequestrations, much like the comparably situated VHA.
                                   conclusion
        We look forward to working with this subcommittee on a nonpartisan
    basis to protect the Federal trust and treaty obligations in the
    budget. Thank you for your consideration of this testimony.

                     Tribal Law and Policy Institute Staff

    Executive Director
    Jerry Gardner (Cherokee)

    Deputy Director
    Heather Valdez Freedman

    Operations Director
    Jessica Harjo (San Carlos Apache)

    Tribal Courts Specialist
    Chia Halpern Beetso (Spirit Lake Dakota)

    Tribal Law Specialist
    Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo)

    Victim Advocacy Specialist
    Bonnie Clairmont (Ho-Chunk)

    Tribal Justice Specialist
    Kori Cordero (White Mountain Apache)

    Victim Advocacy Legal Specialist
    Kelly Stoner (Cherokee)

    Tribal Youth Specialist
    Stephanie Autumn (Hopi/Irish)

    Tribal Victim Resource Specialist
    Lonna Hunter (Tlingit, Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota)

    Tribal Wellness Specialist
    Kristina Pacheco (Laguna Pueblo)

    Tribal Youth Legal Specialist
    Precious Benally (Dine)

    Tribal Youth Legal Specialist
    Anna Clough (Muscogee, Creek/Yuchi)

    Tribal Research Specialist
    Jeremy Braithwaite

    Tribal Law and Policy Specialist
    Jordan Martinson (La Courte Oreilles)

    Administrative Coordinator
    Marlon Footracer (Dine)

    Administrative Assistant
    Chad Jackson (Cocopah)

    Program Assistant
    Cindy Wlasowich (Sincagu/Oglala)

    Program Assistant
    Ashley Sarracino (Laguna Pueblo)

    Program Assistant
    April Russel (Ho--Chunk/Rosebud Lakota)

    Program Assistant
    Laura Smith

    Graphics Specialist
    Cheyenne Cordero (White Mountain Apache)

    Computer Tech/Webmaster
    Lou Sgroi

    Staff Accountant
    Jan Langer

    Bookkeeper
    Uno Lawthong

                               Board of Directors

    President: Abby Abinanti (Yurok)

    Vice President: David Raasch (Stockbridge-Munsee)

    Secretary-Treasurer: Margrett Oberly Kelley (Osage/Comanche)

    Ed Reina (Pima/Maricopa)

    Patricia Sekaquaptewa (Hopi)

    Michael Jackson (Tlingit/Haida)

    Lucille Echohawk (Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma)
                                     ______

                Prepared Statement of The Trust for Public Land
        Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall and distinguished
    Members of the subcommittee:

        Thank you very much for the opportunity to submit testimony on
    behalf of The Trust for Public Land in support of programs under your
    jurisdiction for the fiscal year 2020 appropriations process. The Trust
    for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit land conservation
    organization working to protect land for people in communities across
    the Nation. We are extremely grateful for the steadfast support members
    of this subcommittee have shown for Federal conservation programs
    during these challenging fiscal times.
        We recognize that the subcommittee will face enormous challenges in
    meeting the broad range of priority needs in the Interior and
    Environment bill this year. The President's budget request for fiscal
    year 2020 once again proposes drastic program reductions and
    elimination of core Federal conservation programs that have long had an
    impact in communities across the country. Our work in many of your
    districts and elsewhere shows that there is tremendous support for
    conservation and access to recreation at the local, State and Federal
    level, and the programs under your jurisdiction play a critical role in
    bringing those community visions to reality while supporting a robust
    outdoor recreation economy. We urge you to once again reject the
    President's budget and make investments in programs that support
    conservation and outdoor recreation on our public lands, from local
    parks to national parks.
        The major programs under your jurisdiction that we count on year in
    and year out are the entire suite of Land and Water Conservation Fund
    (LWCF) programs: BLM, FWS, NPS, and USFS acquisitions, NPS State and
    local grants--especially the competitive grants program for city
    parks--Forest Legacy Program, Cooperative Endangered Species
    Conservation Fund, Highlands Conservation Act grants, and American
    Battlefield Protection Program. Other programs include the North
    American Wetlands Conservation Act, Community Forest Program, National
    Endowment for the Arts, and Brownfields grants.

        Land and Water Conservation Fund.--We are thrilled that Congress
    voted overwhelmingly to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water
    Conservation Fund, after two unfortunate expirations of this effective
    and popular program. We urge the subcommittee to work towards fully
    funding LWCF so that the original promise of LWCF investments in
    conservation and outdoor recreation needs across the country can
    finally be met. In the recent fiscal year 2019 omnibus appropriations
    bill, Congress furnished the program with $435 million, and we thank
    you for the $10 million increase over the previous year. For fiscal
    year 2020, we respectfully ask that you increase LWCF in total to $600
    million, with that plus-up shared among all programs. At two-thirds of
    LWCF's authorized funding level and still less than is deposited each
    year into the LWCF account, we believe this increase represents a sound
    investment that spreads limited resources wisely across urgent and
    diverse priorities. It also makes real progress toward the goal of
    fully funding this critical program. Recent conference agreements have
    done an excellent job of fairly allocating LWCF funds between Federal
    and State needs, and we encourage you to maintain that split.
        The appropriations committees also included important conference
    report language in fiscal year 2018 and 2019 that instructed the four
    Federal land management agencies and Forest Legacy Program to continue
    ranking projects annually, and to make those lists available to the
    committee by March 1. These ranked project priorities reflect needs
    across the country and we urge you to request agency project lists that
    total greater than the enacted level for each land management account,
    if necessary. The fact that the President's budget does not include
    project lists has complicated the process, but we are confident that
    you will be attentive to this matter and look forward to working with
    you to ensure that you have the best information possible on which to
    base your funding decisions. The agencies should not be allowed to
    limit their lists, as that imposes an artificial limit on the work of
    the subcommittee to review project needs and allocate LWCF dollars
    accordingly. We greatly appreciate the key role your subcommittee plays
    in ensuring that LWCF is used for high-priority strategic investments
    and appreciate that in challenging budgetary times you have maintained
    a commitment to this bipartisan program.
        Within the LWCF total, individual programs bring specific and
    complementary conservation benefits to the American public. These key
    programs are:

        BLM/FWS/NPS/USFS: Land Acquisitions.--Every year tens of millions
    of Americans, as well as visitors to our country, enjoy our Federal
    public lands--national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and BLM
    conservation lands. Strategic inholding and other acquisitions in these
    Federal areas through LWCF ensure recreation access and nature
    education; foster vital economic growth; protect clean water and other
    community resources; enhance the incomparable natural and scenic
    treasures that belong to all Americans; and frequently resolve complex
    land-use conflicts and produce management savings. Without adequate
    funding, the unfortunate alternative often is an irretrievable loss of
    public use and enjoyment of these areas and irreversible damage to the
    resources we all care about. We strenuously oppose the budget proposal
    eliminating all funds for land protection projects and urge you to
    increase allocations to each land acquisition account using the
    comprehensive agency project priority lists discussed above.
        We applaud the inclusion of recreational access line items in
    recent appropriations bills for each of the four land management
    agencies--with particular emphasis on BLM and USFS--and support
    similarly focused funding in the fiscal year 2020 bill to address
    opening up and improving public access to the outdoors. The President's
    budget reduced recreational access funding for all four land management
    agencies by 95 percent. We urge you to restore it.

        USFS: Forest Legacy Program.--For almost 30 years, the Forest
    Legacy Program has been an extraordinarily effective program, providing
    assistance to States and localities seeking to preserve important
    working forests. It has protected over 2.5 million acres of forestland
    and has leveraged above and beyond the required 25 percent match.
    Forest Legacy projects provide multiple public benefits through forest
    protection--clean water, wildlife protection, climate change adaptation
    and mitigation, public access to recreation, economic development and
    sustainable forestry. Working with States, landowners and other
    partners, we have worked to submit a number of projects to protect
    recreation access for snowmobilers and hikers, ensure jobs in the
    woods, buffer important Federal and State conservation areas and
    provide strategic land conservation that fits a larger goal. Among
    these are projects to protect the recreational access and critical
    wildlife habitat in Montana and working forests along Hood Canal and
    Puget Sound in Washington. We strongly oppose the administration's
    elimination of this program and instead urge your continued support for
    sustained investment in this strategic and successful program by
    increasing FLP funding to $100 million, which reflects demand from the
    States.

        USFWS: Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund.--We are
    grateful for the subcommittee's support for the Cooperative Endangered
    Species Conservation Fund (CESCF), which leverages State and private
    funds to protect threatened and endangered species habitat across the
    Nation. Two components of this program are funded via LWCF: the Habitat
    Conservation Plan (HCP) Land Acquisition program and the Recovery Land
    Acquisition (RLA) program. The CESCF has been critical to communities
    in California, Montana and other States where landowners and public
    wildlife managers are working together through integrated planning to
    foster species recovery and appropriate economic development. The land
    acquisition portion of this program was eliminated in the President's
    Budget. We support at least the House-proposed level of $40 million for
    the HCP and RLA land acquisition programs in fiscal year 2020.

        NPS: State and Local Assistance grants.--Since 1965, the State and
    local assistance grant program has provided over $4 billion in Federal
    funds for more than 42,000 projects in States and local communities for
    park protection and development of recreation facilities. This program
    reaches deep into communities across our Nation, supporting citizen-led
    efforts to conserve places of local importance and opportunities for
    close-to-home recreation. The Trust for Public Land works with local
    communities to create, build, design, fund and care for parks, trails
    and playgrounds. As we our work with many of these communities to meet
    these needs, we hope the subcommittee will continue to provide funding
    to this important program. We are also very grateful for the
    subcommittee's continued support for allocating a portion of LWCF State
    and local assistance funds to the nationwide competitive program, the
    Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program. In fiscal year 2019, you once again
    demonstrated your commitment to this program by funding competitive
    grants at $20 million. We support increasing that allocation to at
    least $30 million in fiscal year 2020, given the demand from
    communities all across the country for funds that will help bring
    people in underserved areas closer to the outdoors--often within a ten
    minute walk from home.

        NPS: American Battlefield Protection Program.--We applaud the
    subcommittee for its longstanding commitment to this important program,
    which complements acquisitions of threatened Civil War, Revolutionary
    War, and War of 1812 properties in national park units with non-Federal
    land protection of key battlefield sites. We hope that Congress can
    provide an increase to the program to the $20 million level in fiscal
    year 2020.

        USFWS: Highlands Conservation Act.--We greatly appreciate the
    increase provided in fiscal year 2019 to the Highlands Conservation Act
    grant program and urge the subcommittee to maintain the $20 million
    level of funding in fiscal year 2020, in order to address important
    outdoor recreation and water protection needs in the four-State area
    authorized by Congress.

        Beyond LWCF, we urge the subcommittee to provide adequate funding
    to other conservation programs including:

        USFWS: North American Wetlands Conservation Act.--We respectfully
    request your support for program funding at the enacted level of $42
    million in fiscal year 2020. The North American Wetlands Conservation
    Act (NAWCA) provides much-needed matching grants to carry out wetlands
    conservation, restoration and enhancement projects. NAWCA is a highly-
    leveraged program with a substantial record of success and is an
    important Federal tool to protect critical wetland habitat.

        USFS: Community Forest Program.--Contrary to the President's
    Budget, which eliminates the program, we urge your continued support
    for the Community Forest Program (CFP), which complements existing
    conservation programs by helping communities and Tribes identify,
    purchase, and manage locally important forestlands that are threatened
    with development. These community forests can be tailored to local
    needs, from timber revenue for municipal or county budgets to
    recreation access and outdoor education. Every Federal dollar from CFP
    is at least evenly matched by funding from State, local, and private
    sources. The Forest Service has now approved 35 grants in 17 States and
    territories--including the North Falmouth Community Forest in
    Cumberland County, Maine and the Chimacum Community Forest in Jefferson
    County, Washington--for innovative local and Tribal projects, and the
    program has generated significant interest from local entities
    concerned about the future of their close-to-home forests. Given the
    strong interest in community forests from coast to coast, we urge you
    to include at least $5 million in the fiscal year 2020 bill for this
    innovative conservation tool.

        National Endowment for the Arts.--Since its establishment by
    Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has
    provided strategic leadership and investment in the arts. Through
    partnerships with State arts agencies, local leaders, other Federal
    agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning,
    affirms and celebrates America's rich and diverse cultural heritage,
    and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every
    community. NEA provides not only critical funding and resources to the
    arts community but also significant investments in parks and community
    development through its Art Works and Our Town grants. According to
    analysis by Americans for the Arts, every $1 of NEA funding leverages
    $9 in private and public dollars and fuels a dynamic cultural economy
    and generates millions of American jobs. We strongly urge the inclusion
    of $167.5 million for the agency in fiscal year 2020 in order to
    preserve access to the cultural, educational, and economic benefits of
    the arts.

        EPA: Brownfields.--The EPA's Brownfields Program is a results-
    oriented program that has changed the way contaminated property is
    perceived, addressed, and managed. This Program is designed to empower
    States, communities, and other stakeholders to work collaboratively to
    prevent, assess, clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields--often
    converting the sites into parks and vital open space. The Trust for
    Public Land supports at least the enacted level of funding for these
    programs in fiscal year 2020.
        The programs highlighted here are critical to the future of
    conservation at the local, State and Federal levels; reflect the
    continued demand on the part of the American people for access to
    outdoor recreation; and help sustain our economy and reflect the true
    partnership that exists in Federal conservation efforts. As ever, we
    are deeply thankful for the subcommittee's recognition of the
    importance of these programs and urge you to maintain robust funding
    for them in the fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment and Related
    Agencies bill. Thank you for your help and support, and for your
    consideration of our requests.

        [This statement was submitted by Kathy DeCoster, Vice President and
    Director of Federal Affairs.]
                                     ______

     Prepared Statement of the United States Section of the Pacific Salmon
                                   Commission
        Madam Chair, and Honorable Members of the Committee, I am Ron
    Allen, the Alternate Tribal Commissioner and Chair of the Finance and
    Administration Committee for the U.S. Section of the Pacific Salmon
    Commission (PSC). The U.S. Section prepares an annual budget for
    implementation of the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST). The United States
    and Canada recently completed the revision of five of the Annex
    Chapters to the PST. The Annex Chapters contain the details for
    operations of fisheries under the Treaty and will be in operation for
    the next 10 years.
        Funding to implement the PST comes from the Departments of
    Interior, Commerce, and State. The integrated budget details program
    needs and costs for Tribal, Federal, and State agencies involved in the
    Treaty. Tribal participation in the Treaty process is funded within the
    Bureau of Indian Affairs budget as a line item within Rights Protection
    Implementation.

              In order to meet the increased obligations under the Pacific
            Salmon Treaty Agreement, the 25 affected Tribes identified
            costs at $5,200,000 for Tribal research projects and
            participation in the U.S.-Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty process.
            This represents an increase of $857,278 from fiscal year 2017
            levels. The funding for Tribal participation in the Pacific
            Salmon Treaty is a line item in the BIA's budget under Rights
            Protection Implementation.

        Under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs, the U.S. Section
    identified funding needs as follows:

              USFWS participation in the Treaty process was funded at
            $372,362 for fiscal year 2017. The Pacific States Marine
            Fisheries Commission's Regional Mark Center (PSMFC) receives
            support from the USFWS to provide data services to the PSC
            process at $236,189 for fiscal year 2017. The U.S. Section
            recommends increasing the funding for PSMFC by $150,000. The
            recommended total for the two programs for fiscal year 2020 is
            $758,551.

        The base funding for the USFWS supports critically important on-
    going work and participation in the process. The funding for Pacific
    States Marine Fisheries Commission's Regional Mark Processing Center is
    utilized to meet Treaty requirements concerning data exchange with
    Canada. These program recommendations are integrated with those of
    participating State and Federal agencies to avoid duplication of effort
    and provide for the most efficient expenditure of limited funds.
        The U.S. Section of the PSC is recommending an adjustment in
    funding to support the work carried out by the 25 treaty Tribes'
    participating in implementation of the Treaty. Programs carried out by
    the Tribes are closely coordinated with those of participating State
    and Federal agencies. Tribal programs are essential for the United
    States to meet its international obligations. Tribal programs have
    taken on additional management responsibilities over time. The revised
    Chinook Chapter includes a new metric for evaluating terminal area
    fisheries. The CYER (Calendar Year Exploitation Rate) metric requires
    additional data collection and data management by the affected Tribes.
    All participating agencies need to be adequately supported to achieve a
    comprehensive U.S. effort to implement the Treaty.
        The USFWS activities are essential, so the U.S. can maintain the
    coded wire tag database necessary to implement the Treaty. The work of
    the Regional Mark Processing Center includes maintaining and updating a
    coastwide computerized information management system for salmon harvest
    data as required by the Treaty. This work has become even more
    important to monitor the success of management actions aimed at
    reducing impacts on ESA-listed salmon populations. Canada has a
    counterpart database. The U.S. database will continue to be housed at
    the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
        Funding to support activities under the Pacific Salmon Commission
    comes from the Departments of Interior, State, and Commerce. The U.S.
    Section can provide a cross-cut budget summary to the Committee.
    Adequate funding from all three Departments is necessary for the U.S.
    to meet its Treaty obligations. All the funds are needed for critical
    data collection and research activities directly related to the
    implementation and are used in cooperative programs involving Federal,
    State, and Tribal fishery agencies and the Department of Fisheries and
    Oceans in Canada. The commitment of the United States is matched by the
    commitment of the Government of Canada.
        Madam Chair, the United States and Canada established the Pacific
    Salmon Commission, under the Pacific Salmon Treaty of 1985, to conserve
    salmon stocks, provide for optimum production of salmon, and to control
    salmon interceptions. After 35 years, the work of the Pacific Salmon
    Commission continues to be essential for the wise management of salmon
    in the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and Alaska. For example,
    upriver bright fall Chinook salmon from the Hanford Reach of the
    Columbia River are caught in large numbers in Alaskan and Canadian
    waters. Tribal and non-Tribal fishermen harvest sockeye salmon from
    Canada's Fraser River in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and in Puget Sound.
    Canadian trollers off the west coast of Vancouver Island catch
    Washington coastal Coho salmon and Puget Sound Chinook salmon. In the
    Northern Boundary area between Canada and Alaska, fish from both
    countries are intercepted by the other country in large numbers. The
    Pacific Salmon Commission provides a forum to ensure cooperative
    management of salmon populations. The United States and Canada reached
    agreements for revised Annex Chapters for management of Chinook, Coho,
    Chum and transboundary salmon populations for the next 10 years. The
    Annex Chapter for management of Fraser River Sockeye and Pink salmon
    expires at the end of 2019 and an update is expected to be completed
    soon. It is critically important to have adequate resources for U.S.
    participants to implement the revised agreements and protect our Tribal
    Treaty resources.
        Before the Treaty, fish wars often erupted with one or both
    countries overharvesting fish that were returning to the other country,
    to the detriment of the resource. At the time the Treaty was signed,
    Chinook salmon were in a severely depressed State because of
    overharvest in the ocean as well as environmental degradation in the
    spawning rivers. Under the Treaty, both countries committed to rebuild
    the depressed runs of Chinook stocks and recommitted to that goal in
    1999 when adopting a coastwide abundance-based approach to harvest
    management. Under this approach, harvest management has complemented
    habitat conservation and restoration activities undertaken by the
    States, Tribes, and other stakeholders in the Pacific Northwest to
    address the needs of salmon listed for protection under the Endangered
    Species Act. The updated Annex Chapters continue these commitments. The
    combination of these efforts is integral to achieving success in
    rebuilding and restoring healthy, sustainable salmon populations.
        Finally, you should consider that the value of the commercial
    harvest of salmon subject to the Treaty, managed at productive levels
    under the Treaty, supports the infrastructure of many coastal and
    inland communities. The value of the commercial, recreational
    fisheries, and the economic diversity they provide for local economies
    throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, is immense. The Commission
    funded an economic study of the fisheries and determined that this
    resource creates thousands of jobs and is a multi-billion dollar
    industry. The value of these fish to the 24 treaty Tribes in
    Washington, Oregon, and Idaho goes far beyond their monetary value, to
    the cultural and religious lives of Indian people. A significant
    monetary investment is focused on salmon due to the listings of Pacific
    Northwest salmon populations under the Endangered Species Act. Given
    these resources, we continue to utilize the Pacific Salmon Commission
    to develop recommendations that help with the development and
    implementation of solutions to minimizing impacts on listed stocks. We
    continue to work towards the true intent of the Treaty, and with your
    support, we will manage this shared resource for mutual enhancements
    and benefits.
        Madam Chair, that concludes my written testimony submitted for
    consideration by your Committee. I want to thank the Committee for the
    support that it has given the U.S. Section in the past. Please feel
    free to contact me, or other members of the U.S. Section to answer any
    questions you or Committee members may have regarding the U.S. Section
    of the Pacific Salmon Commission budget.
                                     ______

                    Prepared Statement of the USGS Coalition
        The USGS Coalition appreciates the opportunity to provide testimony
    about fiscal year 2020 appropriations for the United States Geological
    Survey (USGS). The USGS Coalition requests that Congress fund the USGS
    at $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2020. The requested funding would allow
    the agency to sustain current efforts in scientific discovery and
    innovation and to make strategic investments that will produce the
    impartial knowledge and decision support tools needed by decision-
    makers across the country. The President's budget request represents a
    more than a 15 percent cut to the fiscal year 2019 enacted budget.
        The USGS is uniquely positioned to provide information and inform
    responses to many of the Nation's greatest challenges. The USGS is an
    agency that has a distinctive capacity to deploy truly
    interdisciplinary teams of experts to gather data, conduct research,
    and develop integrated decision support tools that improve ecosystem
    management, ensure accurate assessments of our water quality and
    quantity, reduce risks from natural and human-induced hazards, deliver
    timely assessments of mineral and energy resources, and provide
    emergency responders with accurate geospatial data and maps.

    The USGS Coalition is an alliance of more than 85 organizations united
    by a commitment to the continued vitality of the United States
    Geological Survey to provide critical data and services. Coalition
    members include scientific organizations, universities, businesses, and
    natural resource managers.
                       essential services for the nation
        Established by Congress as a branch of the Department of the
    Interior in 1879, the USGS has a national mission that extends beyond
    the boundaries of the Nation's public lands to positively impact the
    lives of all Americans. The USGS plays a unique role within the
    Department of the Interior, conducting research across a broad array of
    scientific disciplines and providing data that informs responses to
    many of the Nation's greatest challenges. To highlight just a few
    examples, USGS scientists:

      --Reduce risks from natural hazards--including earthquakes, tsunamis,
            landslides, volcanic eruptions, flooding, drought, and
            wildfires--that jeopardize human lives and result in billions
            of dollars in damages annually. USGS not only works to improve
            the scientific understanding of these hazards, but also works
            to relay these findings to Federal, state, and local decision
            makers in order to better adapt response protocols in the event
            of an emergency. Recent disasters, such as the Camp, Carr and
            Woolsey wildfires and Hurricanes Michael and Florence,
            highlight the Nation's continued vulnerability to natural
            disasters and their catastrophic economic losses.
      --Inform management of freshwater resources--both above and below the
            land surface--for drinking water, agriculture, and commercial,
            industrial, recreational, and ecological purposes.
      --Inform sound management of natural resources on Federal and State
            lands, including control of invasive species and wildlife
            diseases that cause billions of dollars in economic losses.
            This information is shared with other Interior bureaus and
            State agencies to allow for adequate monitoring and management.
      --Provide vital geospatial and mapping data used in economic
            development, environmental management, infrastructure projects,
            and scientific applications by States, Federal agencies, and
            the private sector.
      --Help predict the impacts of land use and climatic conditions on the
            availability of water resources and the frequency of wildfires.
            The Landsat satellites have collected the largest archive of
            remotely sensed land data in the world, which informs
            agriculture production and our Nation's response to and
            mitigation of natural hazards.
      --Help make decisions about the Nation's economic and energy future
            by assessing mineral and energy resources--including rare earth
            elements, coal, oil, unconventional natural gas, and
            geothermal. The USGS is the sole Federal source of information
            on mineral potential, production, and consumption.
                                    funding
        Over the years, Congress has worked in a bipartisan fashion to
    provide essential funding to the USGS. These efforts have paid
    dividends and helped the USGS provide answers to the challenging
    questions facing decision-makers across the country. As a science
    agency, much of the USGS budget is dedicated to salaries and equipment
    that must be maintained and updated to ensure the continuity of data
    acquisition and that the data gathered are reliable and available for
    future scientific investigations. We believe that the leadership of the
    USGS is doing all they can to contain costs while continuing to deliver
    high quality science. Any cuts in fiscal year 2020 or beyond would come
    at the expense of scientific programs.
        One strength of the USGS is its partnerships with many other
    Federal agencies, States, local governments, educational institutions
    and private entities. These relationships, however, should not be
    mistaken as a means to transfer Federal activities to other entities.
    The work of the USGS is uniquely tied to the agency, as shown in the
    following examples:

      --Expected losses from natural hazards in the U.S. have averaged more
            than $20 billion per year over the past 2 decades. These losses
            can be significantly reduced through informed decisions guided
            by the most current and thoroughly-researched understanding of
            the hazards, risks, and cost of mitigation. The USGS Science
            Application for Risk Reduction Project was created to innovate
            the application of hazard science for the safety, security, and
            economic well-being of the Nation by directing new and existing
            scientific research toward addressing gaps in vulnerability to
            help communities build resilience to natural hazards.
      --Precise elevation data is needed for a variety of applications,
            including farming, infrastructure construction, flood
            mitigation, and aviation safety. The U.S., however, does not
            yet have national coverage of high-quality topographic data.
            Given its expertise in mapping, the USGS is the lead entity for
            the 3D Elevation Program, which will acquire precise national
            elevation data coverage within 8 years. The program is
            estimated to provide benefits worth $1.1 billion a year to
            government and private entities.
      --Nearly half of America's drinking water comes from underground
            aquifers. The large size of some aquifers, which can span the
            boundaries of multiple States, puts them beyond the scope of
            local water authorities. The USGS is evaluating water quality
            in 20 principal aquifers as part of the National Water-Quality
            Assessment Project. The program is testing for contaminants,
            such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other pollutants that
            threaten human health.
      --The Landsat satellites have accumulated the largest archive of
            remotely sensed land data in the world, providing an important
            resource of land use planning, agriculture, assessing water
            resources and addressing the impacts from natural hazards.
      --According to analysis completed by USGS, State fish and wildlife
            agencies have identified more than 16,000 species as at risk or
            in need of additional monitoring. USGS Cooperative Research
            Unit scientists work to bring State agency and U.S. Fish and
            Wildlife Service scientists and decision makers together on
            cooperative research projects, trainings, and workshops before
            these species reach the point of Endangered Species Act
            listing.
      --Recent research by the USGS identified the potential for avian flu
            to move between Europe and North America when migratory birds
            congregate in Iceland during their migration. Wildlife diseases
            threaten not only the ecosystem and economic values of wild
            animals, but can also jeopardize human health. The USGS has
            unique technical expertise for surveillance and diagnosis of
            wildlife disease, such as identifying a potential transmission
            route of a deadly disease.
                                   conclusion
        We recognize the financial challenges facing the Nation, but losing
    irreplaceable data can increase costs to society today and in the
    future. Data not collected and analyzed today is data lost forever.
    This is particularly significant for environmental monitoring systems,
    where the loss of a year's data can limit the scope and reliability of
    long-term dataset analysis--resulting in a cascading effect for private
    and public partners that rely on this information to make regulatory
    and financial decisions. Moreover, the United States Geological Survey
    has a national mission that extends beyond the boundaries of the
    Nation's public lands to positively impact the lives of all Americans.
    For these reasons, the USGS Coalition requests that Congress provide
    $1.2 billion for USGS in fiscal year 2020.
        The USGS Coalition appreciates the subcommittee's past leadership
    in strengthening the United States Geological Survey. Thank you for
    your thoughtful consideration of this request.

        [This statement was submitted by Elizabeth Duffy, Chair.]
                                     ______

                Prepared Statement of the WateReuse Association
        Thank you for the opportunity to present our fiscal year 2020
    funding requests. The WateReuse Association (WRA) is a not-for-profit
    trade association for water utilities, businesses, industrial and
    commercial enterprises, non-profit organizations, and research entities
    that engage in and on water reuse. WRA and its State and regional
    sections represent more than 200 water utilities serving over 60
    million customers, and over 300 businesses and organizations across the
    country. WRA's mission is to engage its members in a movement for safe
    and sustainable water supplies, to promote acceptance and support of
    recycled water, and to advocate for policies and funding that increase
    water reuse. As you begin the fiscal year 2020 appropriations cycle, we
    submit the following requests for your consideration:
          america's water infrastructure act (awia) of 2018 provisions
    Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    Account: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
        We request following amounts for fiscal year 2020 for three
    programs newly authorized in AWIA:

      --$4 million for SEC. 2005--Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience
            and Sustainability Program;
      --$10 million for SEC. 2007--Innovative Water Technology Grant
            Program
      --$25 million for SEC. 2013--Community Water System Risk and
            Resilience Program
      --$225 million for SEC. 4106--Sewer Overflow Control Grants

        These four programs were created in the America's Water
    Infrastructure Act of 2018. fiscal year 2020 will be the first
    opportunity to provide a Federal investment under the new
    authorizations. These programs will provide tools and resources to
    support innovation in addressing unique local challenges in water
    supply and water quality, including practices involving the use of
    recycled wastewater effluent, captured stormwater, and other
    alternative water sources in all States.
                        clean water state revolving fund
    Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    Account: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
        The successful Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program is
    the primary source of Federal financing assistance for clean water
    infrastructure. The CWSRF is an important tool used across all 50
    States and in communities of all sizes to help communities make
    investments more affordably. Our Nation's water infrastructure faces
    significant infrastructure investment challenges with utilities
    challenged to maintain and upgrade aging infrastructure, comply with
    Federal obligations, protect public health and serve as environmental
    stewards in their community--all while maintaining affordable rates for
    critical services. A significant increase in funding for the CWSRF
    would provide tools and resources to help meet these growing needs. We
    therefore request a doubling of funding for the CWSRF to $3.388 billion
    in fiscal year 2020.
              water infrastructure finance and innovation program
    Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    Account: Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Fund
        The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program accelerates
    investment in our Nation's water infrastructure by providing long-term,
    low-cost supplemental loans for regionally and nationally significant
    projects. EPA estimates that a $50 million Water Infrastructure Finance
    & Innovation Act (WIFIA) appropriation can be leveraged into $5 billion
    in low-interest Federal loans and $10 billion in new water
    infrastructure projects. A small increase in appropriated dollars for
    this program can go a very long way toward advancing water reuse and
    recycling across the country. Already, WIFIA has made major investments
    in innovative water recycling projects, and we expect to see this trend
    continue into the future. We therefore request $70 million in fiscal
    year 2020 for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program.
                      drinking water state revolving fund
    Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    Account: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
        Following the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act,
    Congress demonstrated its commitment to safe drinking water and
    economic growth by providing more than $19 billion to the Drinking
    Water SRF program, resulting in $35.4 billion in assistance to water
    systems that have supported roughly 13,800 drinking water improvement
    projects nationwide, and been an almost 2:1 return on investment for
    American taxpayers. Despite the large investment, the need for drinking
    water infrastructure improvements far exceeds available dollars. An
    increase in fiscal year 2020 would help address that need. We therefore
    request $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2020 for the Drinking Water State
    Revolving Fund.
                national priorities water research grant program
    Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    Account: Science & Technology
        The water sector in the United States is vital for supporting
    healthy families and thriving communities. Today, the water sector is
    facing unprecedented challenges, including extreme drought,
    catastrophic flooding, failing infrastructure, emerging contaminants,
    and dramatic changes in population. Water research will play a critical
    role in developing cost-effective solutions to these challenges to
    ensure thriving, resilient communities, create jobs, and support
    healthy families. In the past 2 years, Congress has appropriated
    between $600-$700 million for EPA research, but less than 15 percent of
    EPA's Science and Technology Account funding is dedicated to water
    related research. Less than 1 percent of these funds supports applied
    research for water utilities. We therefore request an increase in
    funding to $20 million for the National Priorities Water Research grant
    program in order to better reflect the urgent research needs of the
    water sector.
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the Western Governors' Association
        Chairman Murkowski, Ranking Member Udall, and Members of the
    subcommittee, the Western Governors' Association (WGA) appreciates the
    opportunity to provide written testimony on the appropriations and
    activities of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and
    Wildlife Service (FWS), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest
    Service (USFS) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). WGA is an
    independent organization representing the Governors of 19 western
    States and 3 U.S territories in the Pacific. The Association is an
    instrument of the Governors for bipartisan policy development,
    information-sharing and collective action on issues of critical
    importance to the western United States.
        The agencies within the subcommittee's jurisdiction wield
    significant influence over vast areas of the American West. Ninety-four
    percent of all Federal lands are located in the western States, and the
    Federal Government owns over 46 percent of the land within active WGA
    States. The work of this subcommittee is of vital importance to Western
    Governors, as it establishes how these lands are managed and how
    Federal agencies interact with other levels of government and the
    public.
        There is a tension between State and Federal Government, one that
    is embedded in the fabric of our Constitution. These sovereign
    governments must have a close and productive working relationship to
    increase efficiencies and maximize returns on taxpayer investments. The
    promotion of a greater partnership between States and the Federal
    Government is central to the mission of WGA and is reflected in WGA
    Policy Resolution 2017-01, Building a Stronger State-Federal
    Relationship, which I commend to your attention.
        In last year's House Committee report accompanying the Interior,
    Environment, and Related Agencies fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill
    (H. Rpt. 115-765), the Federal agencies funded by the Interior bill
    were directed to provide appropriate feedback on Tribal input received
    by agencies through meaningful consultation in their decisionmaking
    processes. Similar direction to Federal agencies for consultation with
    States, which is required pursuant to Executive Order 13132, would
    improve the co-sovereign relationship between States and the Federal
    Government. The Governors have also urged the Department of the
    Interior (DOI) to engage in meaningful, substantive consultation with
    States on departmental reorganization and appreciate the direction to
    DOI regarding the necessity of this consultation. Reorganization offers
    an excellent opportunity to improve State and Federal consultation,
    coordination, and communication.
        The promotion of greater partnership between States and the Federal
    Government is central to the mission of WGA and a key theme of several
    WGA projects, including the Species Conservation and Endangered Species
    Act Initiative, the National Forest and Rangeland Management
    Initiative, and the current Biosecurity and Invasive Species Intiative.
    Responsible land management can only occur when Federal, State and
    local stakeholders work collaboratively to improve the health and
    resilience of our lands. Likewise, fish and wildlife conservation is
    only possible through the cooperative efforts of State and Federal
    officials across multiple disciplines.
        Western Governors believe that States should be full partners in
    the implementation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and have the
    opportunity to participate in listing decisions, critical habitat
    designations, recovery planning and delisting decisions. The Act is
    premised on a strong State-Federal partnership. Section 6(a) of the ESA
    States that: ``In carrying out the program authorized by the Act, the
    Secretary shall cooperate to the maximum extent practicable with the
    States.'' WGA submits that such cooperation should involve meaningful
    opportunities for States to comment, participate, or undertake
    proactive measures before the Federal Government takes action under the
    ESA.
        States possess primary authority to manage most fish and wildlife
    within their borders, and they are the principal recipients of economic
    benefits associated with healthy species and ecosystems. At the same
    time, species listings and their associated prohibitions and
    consultations can affect the efforts of western States to promote
    economic development, accommodate population growth, and maintain and
    expand infrastructure. Consequently, States should have the right to
    intervene in judicial and administrative proceedings regarding the ESA.
    Western Governors urge the subcommittee to support the legal standing
    of States to participate in administrative and judicial actions
    involving ESA that, by their nature, implicate State authority and
    resources.
        For the past several years, the subcommittee has adopted report
    language directing Federal land managers to use State fish and wildlife
    data and analyses as principal sources to inform land use, land
    planning and related natural resource decisions. Western Governors are
    deeply appreciative of your commitment to promote a positive
    relationship between the States and the Federal Government in the use
    of wildlife data while respecting the limitations of State data privacy
    laws. Federal managers need data-driven science, mapping and analyses
    to effectively manage wildlife species and habitat, and in many cases
    States generate the best available wildlife science. Western Governors
    encourage continued coordination between Federal and State agencies on
    wildlife data collection to avoid spending scarce resources on
    duplicative data collection efforts.
        WGA recommends the enactment and full funding of a permanent and
    stable funding mechanism for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)
    program administered by DOI. PILT funding does not represent a gift to
    local jurisdictions; rather it provides important compensation for the
    disproportionate acreage of non-taxable Federal lands in the West.
    Similarly, payments under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
    Determination Act (SRS) compensate communities whose timber industries
    have been negatively impacted by actions and acquisitions of the
    Federal Government. Western Governors request that you appropriate full
    funding for both PILT and SRS payments in fiscal year 2020.
        Data for water management and drought response planning is critical
    to western States. Western Governors request adequate funding levels
    for the Cooperative Water Program and National Streamflow Information
    Program, both administered by the U.S. Geological Survey. This data is
    integral to the water supply management decisions of States, utilities,
    reservoir operators and farmers. They are also used for flood forecasts
    and are, accordingly, essential for risk assessment and water
    management. These programs are important elements of a robust water
    data management framework in western States and provide needed support
    for drought mitigation efforts throughout the West.
        Infrastructure management is another crucial element of drought
    response. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Water and
    Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) provide necessary support
    for communities to maintain and enhance their water infrastructure.
    Western Governors' Policy Resolution 2018-12, Water Quality in the
    West, encourages adequate funding for SRFs.
        Western Governors continue to be concerned about the number of wild
    horses and burros on BLM lands. This number is presently estimated to
    be more than triple the current Appropriate Management Level (AML).
    Overpopulation can degrade rangeland, negatively affecting wildlife and
    domestic livestock, as well as the habitat of threatened and endangered
    species. WGA supports a process to establish, monitor and adjust AMLs
    for wild horses and burros that is transparent to stakeholders,
    supported by scientific information (including State data), and
    amenable to adaptation with new information and environmental and
    social change.
        WGA remains concerned about the spread of invasive mussels in the
    West and have chosen to highlight this issue through the Western
    Governors' Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative. Of particular
    concern are invasive quagga and zebra mussels, which continue to be a
    major threat to western water resources. To combat this threat, Western
    Governors request that the BLM, FWS, and NPS be provided with the
    resources and statutory authority required to implement mandatory
    inspection of all high-risk watercraft and decontamination of
    watercraft infested with quagga and zebra mussels leaving waterbodies
    under their jurisdiction.
        Western Governors applaud NPS for its efforts to preserve iconic
    landscapes, habitats and cultural resources. WGA is concerned, however,
    that the significant maintenance backlog across all National Parks will
    impede responsible natural and cultural resources management. WGA
    encourages adequate funding to support ongoing NPS operations and
    address critical infrastructure needs.
        Western Governors had previously expressed concern regarding the
    development of the 2015 Clean Water Rule by the EPA and U.S. Army Corps
    of Engineers' (USACE), as States were not adequately consulted by the
    agencies during the rulemaking process. EPA and USACE have promulgated
    new language to clarify the jurisdictional boundaries of the Clean
    Water Act and have taken positive steps to engage WGA and individual
    States with respect to this issue. WGA looks forward to working with
    the agencies to further develop and implement a new rule that takes
    into account the viewpoints of Western Governors and adequately
    protects States' primary authority over the management and allocation
    of water resources.
        States have exclusive authority over the allocation and
    administration of rights to groundwater located within their borders
    and are primarily responsible for protecting, managing, and otherwise
    controlling the resource. The regulatory reach of the Federal
    Government was not intended to, and should not, be applied to the
    management and control of groundwater resources. WGA encourages
    Congress to include express and unambiguous language protecting States'
    authority over groundwater resources in any water-related legislation,
    as well as clear direction to administrative agencies to respect such
    authority. WGA appreciates the language included by the subcommittee in
    prior Appropriations Acts addressing existing statutory authorities for
    groundwater protection. Federal agencies should work through existing
    State authorities to address their groundwater-related needs and
    concerns. Such collaboration will help ensure that Federal efforts
    involving groundwater recognize and respect State primacy and comply
    with all statutory authorities.
        States also possess delegated authority from EPA to manage air
    quality within their borders. Congress and EPA should recognize State
    authority under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and accord States sufficient
    flexibility to create air quality and emissions programs tailored to
    individual State needs, industries, and economies. State CAA programs
    require financial support from Congress, yet funding has declined since
    the CAA's enactment. In addition, given the unique character of the
    West and the region's attainment challenges, funding should be
    appropriated for EPA to assist western States in research on
    background, interstate and transported ozone. More frequent and intense
    wildfires are steadily reducing the West's gains in air quality
    improvement. Smoke from wildfires causes exceedances under National
    Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter and ozone,
    negatively affecting public health, safety and transportation.
    Prescribed fire can reduce these effects but is currently underused in
    many areas.
        Western States depend on a safe, reliable and resilient network of
    infrastructure to move goods, people, energy, and agricultural products
    to meet growing demands across our Nation and world. Because a
    significant portion of the West is federally-owned, Federal processes
    impact the region's infrastructure. Congress should clarify that State,
    local and Tribal governments, as well as their political subdivisions,
    have unique and critical duties to serve their citizens and are not
    stakeholders or members of the public for purposes of the National
    Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. In addition, existing State
    environmental review processes can supplement and inform Federal NEPA
    reviews; Federal agencies should work directly with States to obtain
    and use up-to-date State data and analyses as critical sources of
    information in the NEPA process.
        Western Governors and Federal land management agencies deal with a
    complex web of interrelated natural resource issues. It is an enormous
    challenge to judiciously balance competing needs in this environment,
    and Western Governors appreciate the difficulty of the decisions this
    subcommittee must make. The foregoing recommendations are offered in a
    spirit of cooperation and respect, and WGA is prepared to assist you in
    discharging these critical and challenging responsibilities.

        [This statement was submitted by James D. Ogsbury, Executive
    Director.]
                                     ______

            Prepared Statement of the Wildlife Conservation Society
        The Wildlife Conservation Society would like to thank Chairman
    Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall for providing this opportunity to
    offer testimony in support of funding in the fiscal year 2020 Interior,
    Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for the
    Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF), Office of International
    Affairs (IA), Office of Law Enforcement (OLE), and Cooperative
    Landscape Conservation Program (CLCP) accounts at the U.S. Fish and
    Wildlife Service (FWS), and the International Forestry program at the
    U.S. Forest Service (FS-IP).
        WCS was founded with the help of Theodore Roosevelt in 1895 with
    the mission of saving wildlife and wild places worldwide. Today, WCS
    manages the largest network of urban wildlife parks in the United
    States, led by our flagship, the Bronx Zoo. Globally, our goal is to
    conserve the world's largest wild places, focusing on 16 priority
    regions that are home to more than 50 percent of the world's
    biodiversity. We work in almost 60 countries and manage more than 200
    million acres of protected areas around the world.
        The American conservation tradition is based on promoting
    sustainable use of our natural resources in order to preserve the
    world's species and environment for future generations. In recognition
    of the current fiscal constraints, it is important to note that
    effective natural resources management and conservation has indirect
    but significant economic benefits, including contributing to local
    economies through tourism and other means. Internationally, by
    supporting conservation, the U.S. is increasing the capacity of other
    nations to respond to extreme weather, drought, and wildfires, thus
    strengthening governance in these developing nations, which improves
    U.S. national security. That is why WCS and partners have launched the
    Natural Security Campaign (www.naturalsecurity.us) to demonstrate that
    investments in international conservation can help prevent global
    conflicts, reduce international crime, guard against natural disaster,
    and promote legal and fair trade.
        FWS--Multinational Species Conservation Fund--$15 Million: Global
    priority species, such as tigers, rhinos, African and Asian elephants,
    great apes, and marine and freshwater turtles and tortoises, face
    constant danger from poaching, habitat loss, and other serious
    concerns. MSCF programs have helped to sustain wildlife populations by
    controlling poaching, reducing human-wildlife conflict, and protecting
    essential habitat--all while promoting U.S. economic and security
    interests in far reaching parts of the world. These programs are highly
    efficient, granting them an outsized impact because they consistently
    leverage two to four times as much in matching funds from organizations
    like WCS, foreign governments, local NGOs, and private foundations.
        WCS has had great success on projects using funds from the MSCF.
    One Great Ape award to WCS in fiscal year 2017 is supporting a 5-year
    project to secure the Cross River gorilla population in Nigeria and
    Cameroon. WCS is protecting the intact, old growth forest that is home
    to the less than 300 gorillas that remain and a number of forest
    dependent communities by establishing an effective network of core
    protected areas and corridors linking habitat between the two countries
    despite pressures from Chinese developers and the provincial
    government's interest in building a ``Super Highway'' through this
    critical habitat.
        WCS is grateful that the Committee appropriated $11.6 million for
    the program in fiscal year 2019, an increase of $500,000 from the
    previous year and the first increase of any kind for the program in 3
    years. Regrettably, the President's budget proposes to roll back this
    gain by cutting funding for the MSCF by more than 40 percent. Poaching
    and wildlife trafficking remain a serious threat to all of the species
    covered by the Species funds. The illegal killing of rhinos for horns
    and African elephants for ivory continues, and there is growing concern
    that endangered Asian elephants are being poached for their skin, which
    is used in jewelry and for specious medicinal purposes in rural areas
    in Southeast Asia. It is also important to mention that with the
    passage of the Chairman's lands bill, the John D. Dingell, Jr.
    Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, the MSCF has been
    expanded to include tortoises and freshwater turtles. About 60 percent
    of all of the 330 modern species of tortoises and freshwater turtles
    are listed as threatened, endangered, or are already extinct in the
    wild according to the International Union for the Conservation of
    Nature. Ten species are known to have wild populations of less than 100
    individuals. The statutory language in the Dingell Act ensures that no
    cuts would occur to grants to marine turtle projects, meaning that
    additional funding is necessary to ensure that grant funding is
    available for the newly added species. WCS hopes that the subcommittee
    will consider these points and allocate $15 million for the MSCF to
    match the amount proposed in the House draft bill.
        FWS--International Affairs--$18 Million: The FWS IA program
    supports efforts to conserve our planet's rich wildlife diversity by
    protecting habitat and species, combating illegal wildlife trade, and
    building capacity for landscape-level wildlife conservation. The
    program provides oversight of domestic laws and international treaties
    that promote the long-term conservation of plant and animal species by
    ensuring that international trade and other activities do not threaten
    their survival in the wild. Within IA, the FWS Regional Programs for
    Africa, Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere seek to address grassroots
    wildlife conservation problems from a broad, landscape perspective,
    building regional expertise and capacity while strengthening local
    institutions.
        The IA program works hand-in-glove with the MSCF, supporting the
    conservation of species that are not specifically addressed by the
    species funds and providing support for conservation of entire
    habitats, even in cases where they happen to cross political
    boundaries. Big cats like jaguars and snow leopards are examples of why
    this program is important. These species need large territories to
    provide the prey they need to survive and thrive, and protection from
    poachers and others that infringe upon protected areas to conduct
    illegal activities. The IA program supports WCS projects that are
    striving to help these species through scientific study, habitat
    conservation, and working with local communities to conserve these
    animals.
        The final fiscal year 2019 bill contained level funding for the
    International Affairs program. WCS asks that the subcommittee increase
    funding for the program to $18 million so that this program can better
    support efforts to conserve landscapes and vulnerable species.
        FWS--Office of Law Enforcement--$85 Million: The U.S. remains one
    of the world's largest markets for wildlife and wildlife products, both
    legal and illegal. A small group of dedicated officers at OLE are
    tasked with protecting fish, wildlife, and plant resources by
    investigating wildlife crimes--including commercial exploitation,
    habitat destruction, and industrial hazards--and monitoring
    international trade to intercept illegal wildlife and timber products.
    As the U.S. developed and implemented a comprehensive strategy to
    combat the growing crisis of wildlife trafficking over the last several
    years, many of the new responsibilities placed on FWS are enforced by
    OLE, and WCS supports increasing funding for the agency to $85 million.
    Additional funding for the program will support its efforts to maximize
    the scope and effectiveness of FWS' response to the international
    wildlife trafficking crisis. It will ensure OLE has an adequate number
    of law enforcement agents deployed to enforce laws against wildlife
    trafficking in the U.S. effectively and allow the agency to continue to
    support coordinated enforcement actions against wildlife trafficking
    overseas through the deployment of 11 FWS attaches in U.S. embassies in
    countries where substantial trafficking in wildlife occurs. Additional
    funding will allow at least 2 additional personnel to be stationed in
    embassies and missions that serve as key transit points for illegal
    wildlife and enable stronger enforcement against illegal timber and
    wildlife products entering the United States.
        FWS--Cooperative Landscape Conservation--$13 Million: Many of the
    domestic conservation programs in this bill provide funding to States
    to implement their conservation goals. But wildlife does not recognize
    political boundaries, and scarce conservation dollars can best be spent
    when effective planning and coordination takes place across entire
    ecosystems. The CLCP funds a network of 22 Landscape Conservation
    Cooperatives in the U.S. and Canada, which use a collaborative approach
    between Federal, State, Tribal, and local partners to identify
    landscape scale conservation solutions and work collaboratively to meet
    unfilled conservation needs, develop decision support tools, share data
    and knowledge, and facilitate and foster conservation partnerships. The
    landscape-based conservation strategy is particularly valuable in large
    States like Alaska, which participates in 4 LCCs, and New Mexico, which
    works with 3, because of the significant variations in the ecosystems
    in different parts of the States. The final fiscal year 2019
    appropriations bill cut funding for this program by approximately
    $500,000. WCS encourages the Committee to return funding to the fiscal
    year 2018 level of $13 million.
        WCS is working to compliment the efforts of the CLCP through our
    Climate Adaptation Fund. Established by a generous grant from the Doris
    Duke Charitable Foundation, the Climate Adaptation Fund supports ground
    breaking, science-based projects, using traditional and new
    conservation tools applied in strategic ways to help wildlife and
    ecosystems adapt to a range of climate impacts in the United States.
        USFS--International Forestry--$10 Million: The U.S. economy has
    lost approximately $1 billion per year and over 200,000 jobs due to
    illegal logging, which is responsible for 15-30 percent of all timber
    by volume. FS-IP works to level the playing field by reducing illegal
    logging and improving the sustainability and legality of timber
    management overseas, translating to less underpriced timber
    undercutting U.S. producers. Through partnerships with USAID and the
    Department of State, FS-IP helps to improve the resource management in
    countries of strategic importance to U.S. economic and national
    security. WCS supports an appropriation of $10 million for fiscal year
    2020, a small but important increase in funding for this program.
        With technical and financial support from FS-IP, WCS has been
    working to conserve a biologically rich temperate forest zone called
    the Primorye in the Russian Far East for over a decade, focusing on the
    Amur tiger and Far Eastern leopard and their habitat, species with
    approximately 400 and 40 individuals remaining the wild, respectively.
    Human encroachment, illegal logging, and widespread use of agricultural
    burning fracture and threaten the habitat of these endangered animals
    and increase human wildlife conflicts. Since the Amur tiger and Far
    Eastern leopard are dependent on large tracts of intact, functional
    forest ecosystems, WCS has been focusing on these two species as a
    means to address larger biodiversity conservation and scientific-
    technological capacity building goals throughout the region.
        Building on its strong international partnerships, the FS-IP also
    supports collaborative research aimed to control and prevent invasive
    species that significantly threaten the health of U.S. forests and
    inflict massive economic costs. In the forest products industry alone,
    approximately $4.2 billion is lost each year to invasive insect pests
    and pathogens. In one project, FS-IP is working with partners in Europe
    to prevent the spread of the European wood wasp, which has already been
    documented in pine forests in New York and now threatens to spread into
    the Southeast U.S., where drier and warmer temperatures could allow the
    species to devastate pines in the region.
        In conclusion, WCS believes that the conservation of public lands
    is an American tradition. As far back as 1909, Theodore Roosevelt
    recognized that the management of our natural resources requires
    coordination between all nations. Continued investment in conservation
    will reaffirm our global position as a conservation leader, while
    improving our national security and building capacity and good
    governance in developing countries.
                                     ______

                   Prepared Statement of The Wildlife Society
        The Wildlife Society (TWS) appreciates the opportunity to provide
    testimony concerning the fiscal year 2020 budgets for the U.S.
    Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Bureau
    of Land Management (BLM), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Founded in
    1937, TWS represents approximately 15,000 wildlife professions with a
    mission to inspire, empower, and enable wildlife professionals to
    sustain wildlife populations and habitat through science-based
    management and conservation. Appropriations for the following programs
    within the jurisdiction of the subcommittee on Interior, Environment,
    and Related Agencies will affect the current and future status of
    wildlife and wildlife professionals in North America. To enable the
    appropriate use of science within these programs and beyond, TWS
    respectfully requests the following programmatic funding in fiscal year
    2020.

     FISCAL YEAR 2020 INTERIOR APPROPRIATION REQUESTS--THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Fiscal Year     Fiscal Year
         Agency              Program           2019 Enacted      2020 TWS
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Ecosystems Mission Area         156.9 M           174 M
    USGS
                     Cooperative Research             18.4 M            25 M
                      Units.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     State & Tribal Wildlife          64.6 M            90 M
                      Grants.
                     National Wildlife               488.3 M           586 M
                      Refuge System.
                     Ecological Services....         251.8 M           257 M
    FWS              NAWCA..................            42 M            44 M
                     NMBCA..................           3.9 M           6.5 M
                     Partners for Fish and            51.6 M          54.4 M
                      Wildlife.
                     Migratory Bird                   46.4 M            50 M
                      Management.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Wildlife & Aquatic                126 M           128 M
                      Management.
    BLM
                     Wild Horse & Burro               80.5 M      \1\ 80.5 M
                      Management.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    USFS             Research & Development.           300 M           311 M
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ BLM Wild Horse & Burro Management funding request accompanies
      request to remove an associated policy rider

                             u.s. geological survey
        The Wildlife Society supports the critical and unique mission of
    USGS to provide objective scientific research and data collection on
    the complex environmental and associated societal issues facing our
    Nation. TWS specifically requests at least $174 million for the
    Ecosystems Mission Area, which contains programmatic resources for
    fisheries, wildlife, invasive species, and the Cooperative Research
    Units (CRU).
        Within the Ecosystems Mission Area, TWS supports at least $25
    million for the CRU program. This program fosters Federal, State, NGO,
    and academic partnerships to provide actionable science tailored to the
    needs of natural resource managers on the front lines. The support of
    many State agencies, universities, and NGOs has allowed the program to
    leverage more than three dollars in outside funds for every Federal
    dollar invested. By housing USGS scientists in Land Grant universities,
    this program also develops the next generation of wildlife
    professionals and provides them with an understanding of actionable
    science responsive to stakeholder needs. An increase of funding to $25
    million would allow the CRUs to fill a record 38 CRU scientist
    vacancies (32 percent). If inflation-adjusted funding is once again
    neglected by Congress, this problem may continue to increase in scope.
    The increase of $1 million in the final fiscal year 2019 language
    failed to provide the funds needed to make a sizable impact in filling
    these vacancies.
        Within the Land Resources Mission Area, the Climate Adaptation
    Science Centers program responds to regional wildlife, ecosystems, and
    community-based stakeholder needs in the face of a changing climate.
    TWS encourages Congress to retain this program within the Land
    Resources Mission Area, where its existing framework has effectively
    leveraged millions in funding from nonFederal partners to provide
    stakeholders with a better understanding of how resources will react
    and respond to climate change.
        The Wildlife Society is encouraged by discussions surrounding the
    public lands maintenance backlog by the administration and Congress.
    However, TWS is concerned that USGS, which provides added scientific
    capacity for Federal public lands agencies, is not being considered
    within these conversations. With a maintenance backlog of over $400
    million, the facilities needs of USGS have to be addressed for them to
    remain responsive to Federal public lands agencies and partners. TWS
    encourages inclusion of USGS in funding conversations on the
    maintenance backlog.
                         u.s. fish and wildlife service
        The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program (STWG) is the Nation's
    only program that encourages developing and implementing State Wildlife
    Action Plans, thereby directly supporting States in preventing wildlife
    from being listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Collectively,
    STWG funds support strong partnerships among Federal, State, Tribal,
    private, and nonprofit entities that enable wildlife professionals to
    implement on-the-ground conservation activities that benefit over
    12,000 at-risk species. In fiscal year 2010, appropriations were at $90
    million for the program--allowing States to complete more of the
    projects deemed necessary for monitoring and recovery of at-risk
    species. Subsequent budget reductions in STWG, however, have not
    allowed this highly successful program to reach its full potential. The
    Wildlife Society requests Congress once again reach prior funding
    levels for this highly effective program by providing at least $90
    million in fiscal year 2020. TWS also requests the competitive funding
    portion be open to all States and Tribes working on at-risk species
    recovery, and not be funded exclusively for implementing Interior
    Secretarial Order 3362.
        The Wildlife Society requests at least $586 million for the
    National Wildlife Refuge System's (NWRS) operations and maintenance
    accounts in fiscal year 2020. The NWRS has long been an economic
    driver, generating approximately $4.87 in economic activity for every
    $1 appropriated by Congress. However, the Cooperative Alliance for
    Refuge Enhancement, to which TWS is a member, estimates NWRS needs at
    least $900 million in annual operations and maintenance funding to
    properly administer its 567 units, 38 wetland management districts, and
    5 marine national monuments spanning over 850 million acres of land and
    water. Without adequate funding, ecosystems are not restored; invasive
    species are left unchecked; infrastructure for multiple use
    opportunities such as hunting, fishing, and hiking are not realized;
    and illegal activities such as poaching are not addressed.
        Through the Ecological Services Program (ESP), the USFWS works with
    diverse public and private partners to help identify species facing
    extinction and reduce threats to their populations so that the
    requirement of Federal protection can be removed. Wildlife
    professionals in FWS are working on new strategies to increase efficacy
    of ESP and reduce regulatory burdens on private partners. To
    efficaciously move species through all components of the ESA listing
    and delisting process, TWS requests at least $23 million for Listing,
    $108 million for Planning and Consultation, $35 million for
    Conservation and Restoration, and $96 million for Recovery.
        Further promoting FWS' partnership with private landowners is the
    Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. This program allows voluntary
    habitat restoration goals, aligned with identified strategic
    priorities, on private lands to be achieved through cost-efficient
    financial and technical assistance. For the role this program plays in
    improving private lands wildlife stewardship while working to preempt
    ESA listings, TWS supports the administration's request of $54.4
    million for PFW in fiscal year 2020.
        The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) is a non-
    regulatory, incentive-based program that has demonstrated success in
    maintaining and restoring wetlands, waterfowl, and other migratory bird
    populations by conserving more than 33.4 million acres since 1989. This
    program has remained chronically underfunded despite its demonstrated
    effectiveness. TWS greatly appreciates the $2 million increase in
    fiscal year 2019 and asks that Congress provide a similar increase in
    fiscal year 2020 with an appropriation of $44 million.
        Since 2002, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA)
    has provided more than $66 million in grants to support 570 projects in
    36 countries that enable wildlife professionals to conserve
    approximately 400 migratory bird species on 4.5 million acres in the
    U.S., Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
    Moreover, NMBCA has achieved a partner match ratio of nearly 4:1
    despite requiring only a 3:1 match. The needs of U.S. migratory bird
    species and conservation efforts to keep these species common extends
    to landscapes far beyond U.S. borders. As a result, TWS recommends
    Congress increase funding to at least $6.5 million in fiscal year 2020
    to achieve greater proactive conservation results under the program.
        The Migratory Bird Joint Ventures (MBJV), part of FWS' Migratory
    Bird Management program, are locally-directed partnerships that develop
    and implement science-based habitat conservation strategies for all
    species of birds across North America. These partnerships have
    leveraged Federal funds at 31:1 to enhance and conserve over 27 million
    acres of avian habitat. TWS supports $50 million for Migratory Bird
    Management, including $19.9 million for enhancing and promoting MBJV.
                           bureau of land management
        The Wildlife and Aquatic Management program maintains and restores
    fish, wildlife, and their habitat across a large portion of America's
    western landscapes. This includes projects to balance effects of
    multiple public land uses, such as energy development and livestock
    grazing, with needs of native species. With the continued expansion of
    energy development on BLM lands--and the associated mitigation
    challenges--TWS recommends Congress support the Wildlife and Aquatic
    Management program with at least $128 million in fiscal year 2020.
        The Wildlife Society would also like to stress the importance of
    the threatened and endangered species work of the BLM, and urges
    Congress to maintain this work as a separately funded line item.
    Approximately 480 ESA listed species and at least 31 species that are
    candidates for ESA listing occur on BLM-managed lands. TWS encourages
    Congress to increase overall funding for Threatened and Endangered
    Species Management and reject efforts by the administration to absorb
    this program into other line items.
        The Wildlife Society recognizes free-ranging horses and burros in
    the U.S. as ecologically invasive, feral species. Free-ranging horse
    and burro populations on the range reached >82,000 individuals in March
    2018, exceeding BLM's estimated threshold for ecological sustainability
    by over 50,000 animals. To achieve ecologically sustainable levels of
    horses and burros on BLM rangelands without substantial budget
    increases, the current policy rider limiting sale and/or destruction of
    unwanted or unadoptable wild horses and burros must be removed from the
    Interior Appropriations bill. Until Congress enables BLM to responsibly
    manage free-ranging horses and burros by removing this text from the
    appropriations bill, Federal funds will continue to be wasted
    warehousing over 50,000 animals, rather than spent on productive
    rangeland management activities. Given the current management direction
    Congress has provided to the BLM, TWS recommends flat funding at $80.5
    million in fiscal year 2020. TWS recognizes that removal of this
    appropriations rider will ultimately allow this program's budget to be
    reduced as requested by the administration.
                              u.s. forest service
        The Wildlife Society thanks congressional conferees for their
    interest in the research priorities of USFS Research and Development
    (R&D). TWS encourages an acknowledgement of wildlife science and
    management within R&D priorities and hopes the administration will
    better reflect this work in future budget requests. Improving the
    future health and sustainability of the Nation's forests and grasslands
    through collaboration with States and other partners requires a strong
    investment in R&D. TWS encourages Congress to increase funding for all
    Forest Service R&D to a minimum of $305 million in fiscal year 2020,
    including at least $227 million directed to Forest and Rangeland
    Research program areas exclusive of Forest Inventory and Analysis.

        [This statement was submitted by Darren Miller, President.]
                                     ______

                Prepared Statement of the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe
        The Yakutat Tlingit Tribe (hereinafter ``YTT'' or ``Tribe'') makes
    the following requests for the fiscal year 2020 Indian Health Service
    (IHS) and Indian Affairs appropriations:

      --Continue funding for the IHS Joint Venture Program and ensure that
            funds for staffing packages for completed programs are timely
            made available.
      --Appropriate funds to fully cover Section 105(l) leases for
            healthcare facilities.
      --Put in place a plan to achieve full funding for the IHS, including
            increases for the Indian Health Care Improvement fund and the
            Purchased/Referred Care program.
      --Continue support for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians via
            mandatory appropriations and a multi-year authorization.
      --Continue to fully fund Contract Support Costs.
      --Allow BIE to provide education funding in Alaska.
      --Ensure BIA has adequate funds for tribal courts and public safety
            programs.
      --Remove `Trust Land Restrictions' for Department of Energy, Office
            of Indian Energy grant opportunities.
      --Removal of legislative language that has been put in place in
            Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related
            Agencies Appropriations Acts since fiscal year 2005, which
            prevents Tribes in Alaska to be direct recipients to NAHASDA
            funding.

        The Yakutat Tlingit Tribe appreciates the opportunity to submit
    testimony on the fiscal year 2020 appropriations for several important
    programs. The Tribe is a federally recognized Indian Tribe located on
    the eastern shores of the Gulf of Alaska in the City and Borough of
    Yakutat, Alaska. We are in a very remote area 225 miles northwest of
    Juneau and 220 miles southeast of Cordova, Alaska, and can be accessed
    only by boat or air travel. Because of our geographic isolation, it is
    absolutely critical that we are able to provide high quality health
    services in Yakutat. We currently operate the Yakutat Community Health
    Center (YCHC), at which we provide a substantial and increasing number
    of community healthcare, counseling and prevention services.
        The YCHC is funded in part through a community health center grant
    with the Health Resources and Services Administration, and we are a co-
    signer to the Alaska Tribal Health Compact under which we receive
    funding from the IHS under the Indian Self-Determination and Education
    Assistance Act (ISDEAA) self-governance program. Other funding comes to
    us through the State of Alaska and third-party collections such as
    Medicaid and private health insurance. Also, we have for many years
    received funding from the Universal Service Administration Company to
    support our information technology needs to provide health services and
    maintain critical connectivity, including our tele-health services and
    coordination with Tribal health programs throughout Alaska. The City
    and Borough of Yakutat operates a volunteer Emergency Medical Services
    squad, but the YCHC is the only healthcare provider in the community.
    The Yakutat Borough is in a Medically Underserved Area and is
    designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area for medical, dental
    and mental health.
        Fund the IHS Joint Venture Program.--As you know, YTT is currently
    working toward building a new healthcare facility using its own Tribal
    funds. We really appreciate Chairman Murkowski's exchange with the
    Indian Health Service at your May 1, 2019, hearing regarding the
    importance of determining the proper funding level for a staffing
    package for our facility.
        Our facility is under the IHS Joint Venture Construction Program
    (JVCP), authorized by Section 818(e) of the Indian Health Care
    Improvement Act. The program involves a competitive pool of Tribes and
    Tribal organizations who agree to construct, acquire or renovate a
    Tribal healthcare facility while IHS commits to funding the initial
    equipment and a staffing package for the operation and maintenance of
    the new facility. We were selected for the program among a competitive
    pool of applicants, and IHS has not only committed to staffing the new
    facility, but also to providing equipment funding. The IHS will thus be
    responsible under the program for providing recurring funding for
    staffing on completion of the construction project.
        The new 20,000 square foot facility will be built on land owned by
    the Tribe in Yakutat. The facility will allow the Tribe to provide
    improved and increased health service delivery in our remote area, and
    we intend to expand our primary care services and dental care. We will
    also have space available for visiting specialty providers to use, as
    well as space for our health aides, behavioral healthcare providers,
    preventive care and our administrative staff.
        The Tribe has secured multi-tiered financing through a combination
    of a USDA direct loan and guaranty loan. We have additionally leveraged
    in private financing to serve as interim construction finance and to
    fund the USDA guaranty loan. We have the process identified to control
    construction costs, and are looking to begin construction this building
    season in Yakutat.
        The Tribe asks the subcommittees to support the continued funding
    for the IHS JVCP, and in particular asks that staffing funds be
    appropriated and made available to the IHS on a timely basis, so the
    Tribe can afford to open and staff the new facility on completion of
    construction without delay. Tribes like YTT have to commit far in
    advance to the construction costs and rely heavily on the funding for
    staffing to be available to them as quickly as possible on completion
    of the facility. Otherwise, it would be impossible for YTT to plan for
    and operate the new healthcare facility once it is complete. We need
    the security of knowing that the funding for staffing will be made
    available to us on a timely basis, so that we can advertise for and
    select new healthcare professionals and other staff needed for the
    expanded services, and to allow them time to relocate to Yakutat,
    Alaska.
        Fund Section 105(l) Health Facility Leases.--In 2018, YTT submitted
    requests for two Section 105(l) leases with the IHS. We believe that
    being able to exercise that authority under the ISDEAA is imperative to
    our and other Tribe's ability to carry out health programs in a safe
    and effective environment. Tribes and Tribal organizations are
    increasingly relying on Section 105(l) leases to address chronically
    underfunded facilities operation, maintenance, and replacement costs.
    This is not just an issue in Alaska, as there are Tribes outside of
    Alaska who also desperately need funding for their healthcare
    facilities. We greatly appreciate your recognition of the Maniilaq v.
    Burwell decision as evidenced by the $36 million fiscal year 2019
    appropriation for clinic leases.
        However, we are concerned that the administration will again ask
    that Congress amend the ISDEAA so that the IHS does not have to fully
    fund such leases. In Maniilaq Association v. Burwell, 170 F. Supp. 3d
    243 (D.D.C. 2016), the court confirmed Section 105(l) of the ISDEAA
    requires full compensation for leases of tribal facilities used to
    carry out ISDEAA agreements. Funding such leases should not be placed
    wholly in IHS's discretion as it proposes. And we ask that the Congress
    again reject the proposal.
        Support Funding for the Indian Health Service IHCIF and PRC.--YTT
    is one of the most disparately funded Tribes within the Indian Health
    Service. Our per capita IHS base funding for basic medical care
    services is under $700 per active user; if you add medical services
    provided through our regional hospital, this amount is estimated at
    $1,500, well below the national 2017 spending for all other Americans
    of $9,207 per person and the IHS average of $3,332 per active user for
    medical care. We strongly support full funding for the IHS as requested
    within the National Tribal Budget Formulation fiscal year 2020 request.
    Until that full funding is realized, we support continuing funding for
    the Indian Health Care Improvement Fund, which is intended to help
    reduce these IHS funding disparities within Indian Country for the
    neediest Tribes. It is unrealistic to expect our Tribe to fund our
    primary care services with a recurring medical services base funding
    from the IHS of only $309,000; while we have been successful in
    supplementing these funds with grant and other resources, unlike our
    IHS dollars these are not guaranteed to be sustainable from year to
    year.
        We also support increases to the Purchased/Referred Care budget. We
    are currently negotiating with the Alaska IHS Area Office to receive
    our share of PRC funding; the estimated amount we likely will receive
    annually is under $300,000/year. We are concerned that this amount will
    not cover our annual costs for medevacs and routine referrals to the
    nearest Tribal hospital in Anchorage. Increasing the PRC funding will
    be critical to ensuring that we have funds to cover costs for these
    emergency and routine transports without bankrupting our budgets which
    provide resources needed to cover our primary care operating and
    facilities expenses.
        Mandatory Funding For the Special Diabetes Program For Indians
    (SDPI).--The Tribe very much appreciates that Congress has reauthorized
    the SDPI through fiscal years 2018 and 2019 at the mandatory funding
    level of $150 million each year. The SDPI continues to provide critical
    funding for diabetes treatment and prevention programs for the Tribe's
    AI/AN patients. We continue to see significant outcomes in our
    community in terms of increased access to treatment and prevention
    services and decreased incidence of new diabetes diagnoses. We strongly
    recommend that the subcommittees support maintenance of the SDPI as
    mandatory-funded program and were glad to learn that the administration
    did not propose in its fiscal year 2020 budget to change the program's
    funding to a discretionary basis.
        Continue Full Funding of Contract Support Costs (CSC).--Again, we
    extend our sincere gratitude to Congress for fully funding CSC in the
    past four fiscal years, and for making it an indefinite amount that is
    in a separate account in the IHS and Bureau of Indian Affairs' budgets.
    The full funding of CSC has made a significant different in our ability
    to successfully carry out our ISDEAA agreements and realize our rights
    and responsibilities under self-governance.
        Support BIE Funding for Education in Alaska.--In the 1980's,
    Congress passed a rider to an appropriations bill that returned Tribal
    schools to the State of Alaska. And since then, BIE has not provided
    funding, other than Johnson O'Malley, to schools in Alaska. Given the
    State's current budget crisis, we ask Congress to reconsider this
    limitation and allow Tribes to get these funds.
        Support BIA Funding for Tribal Courts and for Public Safety.--The
    federally-appointed Alaska Rural Justice and Law Enforcement Commission
    examined various aspects of rural justice services, and found serious
    deficiencies. With reduced State funding, YTT asks Congress to increase
    funding to various grant programs, including BIA and DOJ grants, to
    ensure our communities are safe. This funding can also support Tribal
    courts. There is a significant disparity when comparing the lower 48
    Tribes and Alaskan Tribes. 20-30 percent of lower 48 Tribes' base
    funding is funneled into Tribal Court sustainability for operations and
    maintenance. In Alaska there is no parity with the treatment in
    comparison to lower 48 Tribes. According to the fiscal year 2019 BIA
    Green Book for Alaskan 638 Tribes, TPA base funding allocated to Tribal
    Courts and Public Safety is .0001 percent or $2,364. For Alaskan Self-
    Governance Tribes there is a slight improvement but not much with these
    respective Tribes' base funding at .0027 percent or $109,610. We ask
    that Alaskan Tribes be treated with parity.
        Support Telecommunications Connectivity Funding From USAC In Rural
    Areas.--As you know, Internet connectivity is critical to providing
    healthcare services to our remote villages. Last year you heard from us
    and other organizations throughout Alaska regarding the cap on
    Universal Service rural healthcare funds. We appreciate the work that
    was done to eliminate the cap. We remain concerned about the quality of
    Internet. We ask Congress to work towards increasing broadband for
    rural communities.
        Request Support for Removal of Legislative Language That Has Been
    Put in Place in Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Acts
    (THUDS) Since Fiscal Year 2005, Which Prevents Tribes in Alaska To Be
    Direct Recipients of NAHASDA Funding.--The current funding distribution
    for Alaska Tribes to receive their Native American Housing Block Grant
    funding is from the Alaska Regional Housing Authorities, whose funding
    comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Development (HUD). Prior
    to fiscal year 2005, Tribes in Alaska had the option to either to
    receive their Native American Housing Block Grant funding from Regional
    Housing Authorities or directly from HUD. The fiscal year 2005
    Appropriation legislative language prohibits federally recognized
    Tribes in Alaska to be direct recipients. The language is included in
    fiscal year 2006--H.R. 2577--Transportation, Housing and Urban
    Development Appropriations Act, Section 214, ``The funds made available
    for Native Alaskans under the heading ``Native American Housing Block
    Grants'' in title II of this Act shall be allocated to the same Native
    Alaskan housing block grant recipients that received funds in fiscal
    year 2005.''
        Thank you very much for your time and consideration of the concerns
    and requests made by the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe.

        [This statement was submitted by John Buller, Chairman.]
                                     ______