it is my pleasure to introduce doc hastings.since 1995.erving a member of the natural resources committee, he has a special interest in federal land , including national forests, parks, and monuments. given his expertise, i am sure he will have great things to say about this magnificent tree. congressman hastings? [applause] thank you very much. welcome to all of you here tonight. especially to those washingtonians who traveled from that washington to this washington to celebrate this. is from a place not our far from the place that --ss that could not be here guessed that could not be here grew up. this tree reflects the people and the spirit of our great state of washington. it is a state where people look out for their neighbors, where communities come together and where we appreciate and admire the great outdoors. to representnor the people of central washington from the organ border to the tuning -- the oregon border to the canadian border. i also were present a committee that oversees activity on federal land, including th

in particular, i want to thank natural resource committee chairman doc hastings, former ranking member and now united states senator ed markey, and rrent ranking member peter defazio. as well as my old friend, chairman don young, chairman of the natural resources subcommittee, on indian and alaskan native affairs and ranking member hanabusa. and of course senator al franken of minnesota who shepherded the companion bill in the senate. i also want to thank karen diver, the chairwoman of the fond du lac band and her colleagues on the reservation business committee, as well as their natural resources management team, reggie, steve, and jack. finally thank you to gregory, the carlton county land commissioner, and the entire carlton county board of commissioners and their staff for their diligence and good faith in negotiating the agreement. we are prepared to ratify here today and of course last but not least my legislative staff assistant, will mitchell. mr. speaker, this bill, h.r. 2650, provides the legally required approval by the congress for an exchange of land between the fond du la