[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 120 (Monday, July 14, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H3226-H3227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JOCELYN NUNGARAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ACT
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 1596) to rename the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge located
in the State of Texas as the ``Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife
Refuge''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 1596
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Jocelyn Nungaray National
Wildlife Refuge Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On June 17, 2024, 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray was
brutally murdered in Houston, Texas.
(2) Two illegal aliens who were allegedly members of the
Tren de Aragua gang have been charged with her murder.
(3) On March 4, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed
Executive Order 14229 (90 Fed. Reg. 11585; relating to
honoring Jocelyn Nungaray) renaming the area known as the
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge to ``Jocelyn Nungaray
National Wildlife Refuge''.
(4) Ms. Nungaray loved animals and, given the close
proximity of her hometown of Houston, it is fitting that the
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge be renamed in her honor.
SEC. 3. RENAMING OF ANAHUAC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.
(a) Renaming.--The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge located
in the State of Texas shall be known as the ``Jocelyn
Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge''.
[[Page H3227]]
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
national wildlife refuge referred to in subsection (a) shall
be deemed to be a reference to the ``Jocelyn Nungaray
National Wildlife Refuge''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
General Leave
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
add extraneous material in the Record on S. 1596, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arkansas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, Jocelyn Nungaray was a vibrant 12-year-old girl from
Houston, Texas, whose life was tragically cut short on June 16, 2024,
when she was murdered by two Venezuelan nationals who illegally entered
the United States and are allegedly members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
This senseless act has done irreparable damage to Jocelyn's family,
friends, and community.
In May, Jocelyn's mother, Alexis, testified on this legislation, but
more importantly, she highlighted Jocelyn's caring personality, deep
love for animals, and passion for finding animals homes, sharing
stories of Jocelyn's life, such as Jocelyn's efforts to nurse injured
animals back to health. Alexis recounted one instance when Jocelyn
brought a pigeon that had injured its legs into her home. Jocelyn,
without hesitation, tried to nurse the pigeon back to health in her
bedroom until it was well enough to be released back into the wild.
In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing
the Secretary of the Interior to rename the Anahuac National Wildlife
Refuge after Jocelyn Nungaray, permanently commemorating Jocelyn for
her compassion for animals and people who care about nature.
To ensure the name change is permanent, Congressman Babin and Senator
Cornyn introduced identical legislation that would codify the
President's executive order.
The National Wildlife Refuge System plays an important role in
coastal conservation, public recreation, and environmental education,
all of which honor Jocelyn by allowing current and future generations
of Americans to enjoy the natural landscape and animals that Jocelyn
also enjoyed.
I, again, thank my colleague, Congressman Babin, for introducing the
House companion of the legislation and for his commitment to honoring
Jocelyn's memory.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
{time} 1650
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, S. 1596 will codify the renaming of
the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to honor the memory of
12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.
Wildlife refuges are more than places to protect our environment.
They are places where so many young people are inspired to build a
lifelong connection to nature and develop a sense of stewardship for
the world around them.
Jocelyn Nungaray was one of those young people. She loved animals and
the outdoors. Her life was tragically taken far too soon. This
legislation ensures that her love for wildlife and the natural world
will be remembered and honored forever at one of our Nation's most
important coastal conservation areas.
Spanning 39,000 acres along Texas' Gulf Coast, this refuge is a vital
sanctuary for migratory waterfowl, endangered species, and countless
other wildlife. Now, it will also stand as a lasting tribute to
Jocelyn's spirit and the values she held dear.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 1596
and help preserve Jocelyn's legacy in a place that reflects the beauty
and wonder she saw in the world. I hope that this will bring her family
some semblance of peace.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin), who is the lead sponsor of the
House companion bill.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Westerman, my good friend
and classmate, for his services here.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1596 to rename the Anahuac
National Wildlife Refuge located in the State of Texas and in my
district as the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge to forever
commemorate the life of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was
tragically killed on June 17, 2024.
Jocelyn was brutally murdered in Houston, Texas, last summer. Two
illegal Venezuelan aliens, both reported members of Tren de Aragua, the
gang notoriously known around the country, have been charged in her
killing.
Naming the refuge after Jocelyn is a very fitting way to honor her
love for animals and to preserve her spirit within the very landscape
that she called home.
I thank Chairman Westerman and Senator Cornyn for their leadership
and support on these efforts. I also thank my Democratic colleague
across the way for her support.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this very
commonsense legislation. We can never bring back Jocelyn, but we can
commemorate and memorialize her for the love of animals that she had,
and her wonderful family, and have that as a fitting testimony to her
short life.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Babin), my friend who is the chair of the House Science, Space, and
Technology Committee, for his unwavering work and dedication to bring
this good piece of legislation to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for speakers. I reserve the
balance of my time.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, refuges are places dedicated to
conservation, public enjoyment, and environmental education.
Jocelyn was a kind, compassionate young girl who loved animals and
cared deeply for the natural world. Renaming this refuge is a fitting
honor to Jocelyn's life that ensures that her memory lives on.
Again, I thank Congressman Babin and the Texas delegation for their
work on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, S. 1596.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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