,i  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #dgia  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,july #bi1 #bjbe,mrs4 
,d+ell 7= h]self1 ,ms4 ,del,bene1 & ,ms4
 ,/rickl&7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 
0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,natural    
,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  ,to exempt !      
,unit$ ,/ates ,geological ,survey f hir+
 freezes or r$uctions 9 =ce1 & = o!r    
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,keep ,,usgs ,/rong ,act4  
#b4 ,f9d+s ,! ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  
7#a7 ,unit$ ,/ates ,geological ,survey  
7,,usgs7 plays a critical role 9 advanc+
 our und]/&+ ( ! natural environm5t     
?r\gh its ext5sive rese>* & data        
collection ef=ts4  7#b7 ,! ,,usgs plays 
a vital role 9 /udy+ ! ,great ,lakes1   
:i* conta9 #bj p]c5t ( ! _w's fre%wat]4 
,?r\gh monitor+ wat] quality1 invasive  
species1 & ecosy/em heal?1 ,,usgs rese>*
 in=ms ef=ts to protect & re/ore ^!     
critical res\rces4 ,_! "w supports      
fi%]ies managem5t1 pollution control1 & 
! mitigation ( ?reats su* z h>mful algal

 blooms1 ensur+ ! long-t]m su/a9ability 
( ! ,great ,lakes = millions ( resid5ts4
  7#c7 ,! ,,usgs op]ates a compreh5sive 
nationwide seismic network t cont9u\sly 
monitors e>?quake activity4 ,?is data is
 ess5tial = assess+ seismic haz>ds1     
in=m+ build+ codes1 & enhanc+ public    
safety ?r\gh e>ly w>n+ sy/ems4  7#d7    
,?r\gh detail$ monitor+ ( surface wat] &
 gr\ndwat] res\rces1 ! ,,usgs provides  
vital in=mation on wat] availability1   
quality1 & tr5ds4 ,?is supports wat]    
res\rce plann+ & su/a9able managem5t    
across div]se regions1 especially 9     
dr\ght-prone & rapidly urbaniz+ areas4  
7#e7 ,! ,,usgs's topographic & !matic   
maps1 along ) its geospatial datasets1  
are fundam5tal tools us$ by gov]nm5t    
ag5cies1 rese>*]s1 & ! public4 ,^!      
res\rces support l& use plann+1         
environm5tal cons]vation1 & disa/]      
response4  7#f7 ,beyond e>?quakes1 !    
,,usgs conducts ext5sive rese>* on o!r  
natural haz>ds su* z volcanoes1         
l&slides1 & floods4 ,_! "w helps pr$ict 

& mitigate ! impacts ( ^! ev5ts1 !reby  
r$uc+ risks to communities4  7#g7 ,!    
,,usgs leads long-t]m monitor+ (        
ecosy/ems1 wildlife habitats1 &         
environm5tal heal?4 ,?is rese>* in=ms   
cons]vation ef=ts & policies aim$ at    
protect+ biodiv]sity & natural res\rces4
  7#h7 ,! ,,usgs assesses ! availability
 & environm5tal impact ( m9]al & en]gy  
res\rces1 contribut+ to ! su/a9able     
developm5t ( ^! critical mat]ials4  7#i7
 ,! ,,usgs s]ves ev]yday ,am]icans by   
provid+ ess5tial sci5tific in=mation t  
directly impacts _! safety1 heal?1 &    
quality ( life4 ,f monitor+ e>?quakes & 
floods to ensure timely w>n+s & disa/]  
prep>$ness1 to track+ wat] quality &    
availability t affects dr9k+ wat] &     
agriculture1 ! ,,usgs's "w t\*es _m     
aspects ( daily life4  7#aj7 ,_! mapp+ &
 geospatial data help communities plan  
infra/ructure & manage natural res\rces 
effectively1 :ile _! rese>* on ecosy/ems
 supports cons]vation ef=ts t pres]ve   
recreational areas & wildlife4 ,by mak+ 

?is data op5ly accessible1 ! ,,usgs     
emp[]s individuals1 local gov]nm5ts1 &  
bus9esses to make in=m$ decisions t     
promote resili5ce & su/a9ability across 
! c\ntry4  7#aa7 ,! ,,usgs's            
multidiscipl9>y approa* & commitm5t to  
op5 data ensure t policymak]s1 sci5ti/s1
 & ! public h access to reliable1       
up-to-date in=mation crucial = in=m$    
decision-mak+ & risk managem5t4  #c4    
,exempt+ ,,usgs f hir+ freeze or        
r$uction 9 =ce ,not)/&+ any o!r         
provision ( law1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates        
,geological ,survey 79 ?is section      
ref]r$ to z ,,usgs7 %all n be subject   
to--  7#a7 ! ,presid5tial ,memor&um     
issu$ on ,janu>y #bj1 #bjbe1 titl$ ,hir+
 ,freeze or any ext5sion ( su*          
,memor&um2  7#b7 any r$uction 9 =ce (   
employees ( ,,usgs1 or any o!r          
significant r$uction ( su* employees1 if
 ,congress has enact$ a law appropriat+ 
funds = ! sal>y & exp5ses ( su*         
employees2 or  7#c7 any cancellation1   
)\t approval ( ! ,director ( ,,usgs1 ( a

 lease ( real prop]ty ent]$ into by     
,,usgs4