[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 120 (Monday, July 14, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H3226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                 AMENDMENT TO KAWEAH PROJECT PROVISION

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1044) to amend Public Law 99-338 with respect to Kaweah 
Project permits.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1044

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. AMENDMENT TO KAWEAH PROJECT PROVISION.

       The first section of Public Law 99-338, as amended by 
     Public Law 108-447, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``3 renewals'' and inserting ``7 
     renewals''; and
       (2) by striking ``of Southern California Edison Company''.

  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 H.R. 1044, 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, I rise in support of Representative Valadao's bill, H.R. 
1044.
  This bill is a commonsense measure to ensure the continued operation 
of existing hydroelectric facilities, which have provided reliable and 
affordable power to Californians over a century.
  The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to issue four 10-
year renewals for a special use permit for the Kaweah Hydroelectric 
Project, thereby extending the project's life for up to 40 additional 
years.
  These hydroelectric dams, located on the Kaweah and East Fork Kaweah 
Rivers, fall within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park, but they 
predate the park's expansion and have long been recognized by Congress 
as a valuable energy asset.
  With the current statutory authorization for the permits set to 
expire in 2026, this bill provides much-needed certainty for the 
continued operation of a critical source of reliable energy. Without an 
extension, Southern California Edison will be forced to remove this 
infrastructure at enormous expense to their ratepayers.
  I thank Representative Valadao for his leadership on this issue. By 
championing this bill, he is ensuring that more than 15 million people 
in California have access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy for 
generations to come.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1044 introduced by my 
colleague Representative Valadao of California.
  This bill would allow the Secretary of the Interior to issue 
additional permit renewals for the Kaweah Project, a hydroelectric 
facility that operates within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park. 
The Kaweah Project has been generating clean, renewable energy since 
1907. Although it was originally granted a 50-year permit, the 
boundaries of the Sequoia National Park were later expanded in 1943, 
bringing portions of the project, such as flow lines and diversions, 
within park lands. Since the project predated the park, it was allowed 
to continue operating.
  In 2004, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Interior to issue 
up to three permit renewals with reasonable safeguards to ensure the 
project's continued operation wouldn't harm the park.
  These include prohibiting any expansion of the project within the 
park, requiring safety assessment, and appropriate compensation for the 
use of public resources.
  H.R. 1044 would build on that responsible approach. By allowing the 
Secretary to continue renewing permits for the Kaweah Project under the 
same protective conditions, this bill allows continued hydropower 
generation while upholding our responsibility to protect the park for 
future generations.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Valadao), the lead sponsor of the 
bill.
  Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge support for my bill, H.R. 
1044, which authorizes seven permit renewals for the Kaweah 
Hydroelectric Project in Tulare County, California.
  Southern California Edison has operated the Kaweah Hydroelectric 
Project since 1899, marking well over a century of reliable, clean 
power.
  For decades, Congress has allowed for the continued use of the 
Federal lands for this purpose, but unless we act now, the 
authorization will expire in 2026.
  Without authorization, Southern California Edison would be forced to 
dismantle critical infrastructure, costing ratepayers in the region 
tens of millions of dollars and eliminating a clean, reliable, and 
affordable source of energy.
  This bill ensures that Kaweah can keep operating without disruption 
or unnecessary costs for families across California.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Westerman and his staff at the 
Committee on Natural Resources for their work on this issue. I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill and protect the Central Valley's clean 
energy future.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, 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, this is a straightforward, commonsense 
bill. In the world we live in today, where we have more and more 
electrical energy demand, it makes no sense to be closing down any kind 
of electrical generation, especially one where the infrastructure is 
already built, working, and producing reliable and affordable baseload 
power.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support Representative Valadao's 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. McDowell). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1044.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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