,i  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dgia  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,july #bi1 #bjbe,mrs4
 ,dingell 7for herself1 ,ms4 ,del,bene1 
and ,ms4 ,strickland7 introduced the    
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,natural ,resources   
,a ,,bill  ,to exempt the ,united       
,states ,geological ,survey from hiring 
freezes or reductions in force1 and for 
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,keep ,,usgs   
,strong ,act4  #b4 ,findings ,the       
,congress finds the following3  7#a7    
,united ,states ,geological ,survey     
7,,usgs7 plays a critical role in       
advancing our understanding of the      
natural environment through its         
extensive research and data collection  
efforts4  7#b7 ,the ,,usgs plays a vital
 role in studying the ,great ,lakes1    
which contain #bj percent of the world's
 freshwater4 ,through monitoring water  
quality1 invasive species1 and ecosystem
 health1 ,,usgs research informs efforts

 to protect and restore these critical  
resources4 ,their work supports         
fisheries management1 pollution control1
 and the mitigation of threats such as  
harmful algal blooms1 ensuring the      
long-term sustainability of the ,great  
,lakes for millions of residents4  7#c7 
,the ,,usgs operates a comprehensive    
nationwide seismic network that         
continuously monitors earthquake        
activity4 ,this data is essential for   
assessing seismic hazards1 informing    
building codes1 and enhancing public    
safety through early warning systems4   
7#d7 ,through detailed monitoring of    
surface water and groundwater resources1
 the ,,usgs provides vital information  
on water availability1 quality1 and     
trends4 ,this supports water resource   
planning and sustainable management     
across diverse regions1 especially in   
drought-prone and rapidly urbanizing    
areas4  7#e7 ,the ,,usgs's topographic  
and thematic maps1 along with its       
geospatial datasets1 are fundamental    

tools used by government agencies1      
researchers1 and the public4 ,these     
resources support land use planning1    
environmental conservation1 and disaster
 response4  7#f7 ,beyond earthquakes1   
the ,,usgs conducts extensive research  
on other natural hazards such as        
volcanoes1 landslides1 and floods4      
,their work helps predict and mitigate  
the impacts of these events1 thereby    
reducing risks to communities4  7#g7    
,the ,,usgs leads long-term monitoring  
of ecosystems1 wildlife habitats1 and   
environmental health4 ,this research    
informs conservation efforts and        
policies aimed at protecting            
biodiversity and natural resources4     
7#h7 ,the ,,usgs assesses the           
availability and environmental impact of
 mineral and energy resources1          
contributing to the sustainable         
development of these critical materials4
  7#i7 ,the ,,usgs serves everyday      
,americans by providing essential       
scientific information that directly    

impacts their safety1 health1 and       
quality of life4 ,from monitoring       
earthquakes and floods to ensure timely 
warnings and disaster preparedness1 to  
tracking water quality and availability 
that affects drinking water and         
agriculture1 the ,,usgs's work touches  
many aspects of daily life4  7#aj7      
,their mapping and geospatial data help 
communities plan infrastructure and     
manage natural resources effectively1   
while their research on ecosystems      
supports conservation efforts that      
preserve recreational areas and         
wildlife4 ,by making this data openly   
accessible1 the ,,usgs empowers         
individuals1 local governments1 and     
businesses to make informed decisions   
that promote resilience and             
sustainability across the country4      
7#aa7 ,the ,,usgs's multidisciplinary   
approach and commitment to open data    
ensure that policymakers1 scientists1   
and the public have access to reliable1 
up-to-date information crucial for      

informed decision-making and risk       
management4  #c4 ,exempting ,,usgs from 
hiring freeze or reduction in force     
,notwithstanding any other provision of 
law1 the ,united ,states ,geological    
,survey 7in this section referred to as 
,,usgs7 shall not be subject to--  7#a7 
the ,presidential ,memorandum issued on 
,january #bj1 #bjbe1 titled ,hiring     
,freeze or any extension of such        
,memorandum2  7#b7 any reduction in     
force of employees of ,,usgs1 or any    
other significant reduction of such     
employees1 if ,congress has enacted a   
law appropriating funds for the salary  
and expenses of such employees2 or  7#c7
 any cancellation1 without approval of  
the ,director of ,,usgs1 of a lease of  
real property entered into by ,,usgs4