[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 150 (Monday, September 19, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4823-S4824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. PADILLA:
S. 4879. A bill to amend the Federal Credit Union Act to permit
credit unions to serve certain underserved areas, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the
Expanding Financial Access for Underserved Communities Act, which I
introduced today.
Over the past decade, affordable banking services have become more
difficult for many Americans to access due to the closure of physical
bank branches. Addressing banking deserts is an important element to
promoting equity across our entire economy.
I believe that credit unions can play a significant role in improving
access to affordable banking services in underserved communities
throughout our Nation.
That is why I am proud to introduce this legislation to allow all
federally chartered credit unions to expand their field of membership
to underserved areas. The bill would exempt business loans made to
borrowers located in underserved areas from the credit union member
business lending cap.
I am proud to join Chairwoman Maxine Waters in this effort. I hope my
colleagues will join me in support of this bill to promote economic
opportunity in low-income communities and communities of color.
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By Ms. HIRONO:
S. 4883. A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to partner
and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of
Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, the
Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2022. This bill requires the
Secretary of the Interior to continue partnering and collaborating with
the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid
Ohia Death, ROD. ROD is a fungus, Ceratocystis, that was first found in
Hawaii in 2014 and has since killed over a million native Ohia trees.
Since then, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service has
partnered with the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of the
Interior in efforts to detect and respond to the spread of ROD.
Sustained efforts, such as those supported by this bill, are necessary
to protect Ohia trees, which comprise 80 percent of Hawaii's native
forests.
Over the past 8 years, ROD has been detected on Hawaii Island, Kauai,
Maui, and Oahu. Efforts are currently underway to educate the public to
reduce the spread, research transmission vectors of ROD such as humans,
beetles, ungulates, and weather events, and test ROD resistant
varieties of Ohia. This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior,
acting through the U.S. Geological Survey, to continue providing
resources for the purposes of researching ROD vectors and transmission.
It also requires the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, to work with the State of Hawaii and other
local stakeholders on ungulate management in control areas on Federal,
State, and private land. Finally, the bill requires the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, to
continue providing resources to prevent the spread of ROD and restore
the native forests in Hawaii and to also continue to provide financial
and staff resources to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, IPIF,
located in Hilo, to continue research on ROD.
The bill authorizes $5 million in appropriations for each fiscal year
from 2023 through 2033 for both the Secretaries of Agriculture and
Interior to carry out these actions, which are necessary to protect and
restore Hawaii's most abundant native tree--Ohia--for future
generations.
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By Ms. HIRONO:
S. 4884. A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior, in
coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, to establish a joint
natural infrastructure science program, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, the
Natural Infrastructure Act of 2022. This bill requires the Secretary of
the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, to
establish a Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program. This program,
which would be a joint effort by the U.S. Forest Service FS and the
U.S. Geological Survey USGS, would
[[Page S4824]]
seek to further research on the use of natural solutions to address
evolving infrastructure needs across the country. The bill also
requires the Secretary of the Interior to assess the costs and
effectiveness of select natural infrastructure projects on an annual
basis.
The bill defines natural infrastructure as constructed landscape
features and systems that employ nature-based solutions that promote,
use, restore, or emulate natural ecological processes. These features,
when compared to grey infrastructure solutions, are often more cost-
effective, increase community resilience to climate change impacts, and
attract community support. The American Society of Civil Engineers
estimates that our country's need for infrastructure repairs through
2025 totals over $4 trillion. In order to meet our country's short- and
long-term infrastructure needs, research is needed to inform the
decisions being made by the people charged with addressing these
infrastructure needs--civil engineers, local governments, developers,
and the construction industry. The Joint Natural Infrastructure Science
Program established by this bill directs USGS and FS to work with
colleges and universities to advance ongoing natural infrastructure
research efforts to inform future infrastructure projects. The bill
also establishes a stakeholder advisory group to inform the Secretary
of the Interior on appropriate research topics to be assessed by the
Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program.
The bill authorizes $4 million in appropriations for each fiscal year
from 2023 through 2033 for both the Secretaries of Agriculture and
Interior to implement the Joint Natural Infrastructure Program.
Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to
publish an annual report on no fewer than 30 natural infrastructure
projects across the country to assess the cost and effectiveness of the
projects as well as provide recommendations on ways to improve future
natural infrastructure projects in terms of construction, costs, and
effectiveness. The selected projects should be diverse in terms of both
geographic location as well as project type. These reports, coupled
with the research generated by the Joint Natural Infrastructure Science
Program, will help inform future infrastructure projects as we seek out
cost-effective solutions all across the country that maximize human and
environmental benefits in the face of evolving challenges, including
the increasing impacts of climate change.
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