Here’s a recap of what Republicans achieved on the House Floor this week:

Honoring Commitments to Veterans and Supporting Strong National Security ✅

House Republicans put together a plan to keep America’s promise to its veterans and provide the necessary funds for military construction to support our national security.

The FY24 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill fully funds veterans’ health care, ensures our veterans have access to the medical treatment they deserve, and supports other critical VA programs.

Additionally, the bill cuts wasteful spending by prohibiting funds to lobby Congress, promote critical race theory, or carry out the Biden Administration’s executive orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

H.R. 4366, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024, introduced by Rep. John Carter, provides FY24 appropriations for military construction, the VA, and related agencies that honor our commitment to veterans, support a strong national security, and keep the executive branch in check.

“The FY24 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill keeps our promise to America’s heroes and provides much-needed resources to protect the homeland against hostile actors like the Chinese Communist Party. It’s a strong conservative bill that ends the Biden administration’s woke priorities while protecting the sacred responsibility of taking care of America’s veterans. I’m proud to see this bill pass the House this week and I appreciate my conservative colleagues’ support,” said Rep. John Carter.

What Members Said:

"For the last few months the administration and extreme congressional Democrats have been spreading lies that House Republicans were cutting veterans benefits. These lies were merely designed to score cheap political points at the expense of our veterans," said Rep. Guy Reschenthaler. "Now we get to this week, where House Republicans will pass a bill that fully funds veterans benefits, fully funds veterans’ healthcare, fully funds all other veterans programs. This bill provides the VA $16.4 billion over the FY 23 enacted level and matches the President's budget request for FY 24. So there is no question who was and who was not misleading the American people. There's no question that our actions today support veterans and just watch to see how many of those Democrats will vote no tomorrow."
 
Rep. Jerry Carl noted how Democrats lied about House Republicans cutting veterans' benefits. 

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Standing Up for Farmers Against Burdensome Regulation ✅

On June 1, 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published a proposed rule to list the lesser prairie chicken as threatened and endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), prohibiting the ‘take’ of the animal – you may not harm, harass, hunt, trap, shoot, etc. the lesser prairie chicken.

The problem: the ESA also defines harm for endangered species as impairing behavioral patterns like breeding, feeding, sheltering, etc., meaning farmers, crops or livestock interacting with the species could be considered harm.

This massive regulatory burden proposed by the Biden Administration’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife service hurts farmers and ranchers, punishes whole communities with economies supported by agriculture, and could have larger harmful effects on our national food supply.

S.J. Res. 9, introduced by Sen. Roger Marshall, disapproves the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service final rule listing the lesser prairie chicken as threatened and endangered under the Endangered Species Act. 

“My resolution pushes back on an unnecessary and burdensome regulation that threatens the livelihoods of people in rural America,” said Rep. Tracey Mann. “I am proud of my colleagues for rejecting the Biden Administration’s rule that designates the lesser prairie-chicken as a threatened species in places like Kansas. Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers are the original conservationists, and the federal government must get out of their way and let them do what they do best.”

What Members Said:

Rep. Ron Estes emphasized that rural Americans do not need more government regulation. 
The House Committee on Natural Resources highlighted how the lesser prairie-chicken is not at risk of extinction.

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Cutting Red Tape Holding Back Infrastructure Projects ✅

On November 30, 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a final rule to uplist the northern long-eared bat from threatened to  endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 

The primary cause of the decline of the northern long-eared bat species is called ‘white nose syndrome’, or WNS, which is a fungal pathogen that infects bats’ skin. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has even said that there are currently “no proven measures to reduce the severity of WNS.”

This uplisting to endangered will do very little to conserve the northern long-eared bat population while placing severe burdens and delays on infrastructure projects that would not contribute to the decline of the species.

S.J. Res. 24, introduced by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, disapproves the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service final rule listing the northern long-eared bat as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. 

“The Northern Long-Eared Bat suffers from white nose syndrome through no fault of humans, yet its endangered listing allows environmental groups to stifle development across the bat’s range, which encompasses most of the continental U.S. If we're to build infrastructure, permit electricity transmission, mine for the resources we need for everyday life, and properly manage our forests, we need commonsense habitat conservation plans that protect wildlife without harming our economy. It’s past time we return the Endangered Species Act to its intended use, rather than a tool for radical anti-development activists to exploit. I’m glad to see the House pass this resolution to overturn this listing,” said Rep. Pete Stauber.

What Members Said:

Rep. Pete Stauber pointed out that we can protect wildlife without hurting the economy.