Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 504) to amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to authorize the expansion of the Miccosukee Reserved Area and to carry out activities to protect structures within the Osceola Camp from flooding, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 504

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 ``Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act''. SEC. 2. MICCOSUKEE RESERVED AREA ADDITION.

Section 4(4) of the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act (16 U.S.C. 410 note; Public Law 105-313) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``(C) Additional area.--In addition to the land described in subparagraph (B), the term `Miccosukee Reserved Area' or `MRA' includes the portion of the Park that is known as `Osceola Camp' and is depicted on the map entitled `Everglades National Park, Proposed Expansion-Miccosukee Reserved Area, Osceola Camp', numbered 160/188443, and dated July 2023, copies of which shall--

``(i) be kept available for public inspection in the offices of the National Park Service; and

``(ii) be filed with appropriate officers of Miami-Dade County and the Tribe.''. SEC. 3. PROTECTION OF THE OSCEOLA CAMP FROM FLOODING.

Section 8 of the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act (16 U.S.C. 410 note; Public Law 105-313) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``(j) Protection of Osceola Camp From Flooding.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary, in consultation with the Tribe, shall take appropriate actions to protect structures within the area described in section 4(4)(C) from flooding.''.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. 504, the bill now under consideration.

I rise in support of H.R. 504, the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act sponsored by Representative Gimenez. This bill would amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act, or MRAA, to include the Osceola Camp Tribal village as part of the Miccosukee Reserved Area. It would also direct the Secretary of the Interior to consult with the Tribe to protect the village from flooding.

The Miccosukee Tribe has a long history in Florida. Oral history has the Tribe initiating in the northern portion of Florida, but they later settled in the Everglades following the Seminole wars.

Congress passed the MRAA in 1998, which gave the Tribe permanent residency in the Everglades. The MRAA also declared the Miccosukee Reserved Area as Indian Country, yet the Federal Government still held the right to engage in restoration and protection activities in the area.

The area known as the Osceola Camp was not included in the MRAA despite serving as a residential Tribal village with key historical and ancestral ties to the Tribe. The National Park Service is already working with the Tribe to protect this residential area from flooding.

Once the camp is incorporated into the Miccosukee Reserved Area, the Tribe will be able to work alongside the Department of the Interior to prevent flooding, preserve the village's infrastructure, and ensure that the village can be inhabited for years to come.

I thank Representative Gimenez for his work on this important bill. House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, DC, June 27, 2025. Hon. Bruce Westerman, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Westerman: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 504, the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act. The bill was referred primarily to the Committee on Natural Resources, with additional referral to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Specifically, there are provisions of H.R. 504 that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this legislation before the House of Representatives in an expeditious manner, and accordingly, agree the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure shall be discharged from further consideration of the bill. However, this is conditional on our mutual understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 504 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation that falls with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's Rule X jurisdiction, and the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved on this or similar legislation as it moves forward. Further, this does not prejudice the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with respect to the appointment of conferees and should a conference on the bill be necessary, I would appreciate your agreement to support my request to have the Committee represented on the conference committee.

Finally, I would ask that a copy of this letter and your response acknowledging our jurisdictional interest in the bill be included in the Committee Report and Congressional Record during consideration of H.R. 504 on the House floor. Sincerely, Sam Graves, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, June 30, 2025. Hon. Sam Graves, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Graves: I write regarding H.R. 504, the ``Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act,'' which was ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources on June 25, 2025.

I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and appreciate your willingness to forgo further consideration of the bill. I acknowledge that the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will not formally consider H.R. 504 and agree that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained therein.

I am pleased to support your request to name members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to any conference committee to consider such provisions. I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill and will include such letters in the committee report on H.R. 504. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation. Sincerely, Bruce Westerman, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this legislation would amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to include the Osceola Camp as part of the Miccosukee Reserved Area. This bill would also help with the important work to mitigate the impact of flooding on the structures in the area.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H.R. 504 and yield back the balance of my time.

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