Wilbur ross. This runs a half hour. We thank all of you for joining us today. We know how busy your schedules are and how difficult it is to get a group of this caliber together at the same time. Your attendance today demonstrates a clear commitment across the administration to implement a strategy to improve the endangered species act process for pesticides. Sks this bill tak esteemed group with engaging with stakeholders and others in a transparent manner. We are committed to maintaining that type of process. I now and very privileged to introduce the honorable epa administrator, andrew wheeler. Hasnistrator wheeler provided strong leadership to all of us at the age of and is deeply agency and is deeply committed to the issues the working group will assess. Administrator wheeler . Administrator wheeler thank you all for joining us on the important day, the 75th anniversary of dday. We honor the allied forces who stormed the beaches and helped to free a continent. We honor our world war ii veterans today and remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice on the shores of france. Im honored to be joined by my esteemed colleagues. Thank you for your leadership on these issues. I am glad to have the opportunity to kick off my First Working Group as administrator. My staff brought me up to speed on the origins of the working group that was the brainchild of the epa staff during the beginning of the administration. That effort led to our larger working group and where we are today. We look forward to picking up where we left off. Among thecoronation federal family is a top priority for president trump. I have worked closely with my on other issues and weve made great progress on those fronts. We are here to continue our progress on Regulatory Reform. 2018, the epa, interior, and commerce established an Interagency Working Group tasked with providing recommendations to the agencys leadership on improving the consultation process for pesticides. Ive had several conversations with my colleagues on these issues as well. The working group was established because we all recognized the consultation process was broken. A broken process is bad for both endangered species, americas farmers, and the regulated community. Epa has over 600 pesticide registration reviews to complete by 2022. And we know theres a lot of room for improvement in the esa consultation process. Such as ensuring the use of realworld data and Pesticide Usage information. Year, ther of last working group convened at the staff level for the epa to present a proposal for an improved method for the enlisted species process for pesticides. The members agreed to provide feedback on the proposal and the epa agreed to consider the comments and provide a response. Then the farm bill to codify the Interagency Working Group with epa serving as the chair. Last month, epa issued the draft revised methods for 45 day public comment. We also announced a june 10 Public Meeting to present the method and provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions and a comments. Our ultimate goal is to carry out the responsibilities in compliance without placing unnecessary burden on American Farmers and other pesticide users. There are significant analytical and resource challenges to comply with both. We will continue to collaborate with all of you to develop a scientific approach for this complex issue and create a sustainable process for reviewing and giving pesticides on designated critical habitat. The 2018 interagency established the working group and laid out an action plan with several commitments. These commitments included analyzing the relevant laws and regulations to provide an outline of the legal and Regulatory Framework for pesticide consultations. Two, reviewing past pesticide consultation practices to learn from recent experience. And three, to improve policy and processes. For example, identifying streamlined process for identifying which actions require no consultation and formal constitution. And number four, documenting the strategy in a memorandum of understanding revised regulations for another appropriate format that would promote lasting Cooperation Among the agencies. This work is critically important. So much so that congress agreed. They codified the existing working group into the 2018 farm bill. We will be providing congress with an update on the progress per their request of the new law. We will talk more about that in the next portion of the session. While we are mindful of the work, we shouldnt lose sight of another critically important piece. We must continue to engage with industry, stakeholders, public , and n. G. O. s. I know each of the departments and agencies represented here today go out of their way to do that and will continue to do that throughout this process. There are a few major objectives that we hope to accomplish through the working group. Together, we will ensure that tasks mandated by the farm bill are met. Epa will apply the method to the next set of chemicals to refine on listed species and their habitats. Our improved consultation process will result in a workable, sustainable process that sets forth realistic projections. We will withstand legal challenges because we will be collectively meeting the consultation requirements under esa. Our ultimate goal is a streamlined process that is protective of species, timely for the registration review decisions, and transparent to the public. I look forward to working with each of you to provide Greater Regulatory certainty to americas farmers and other pesticide users. Thank you for your time and attention, and for joining us here at the epa today. Thank you, administrator wheeler, for those remarks. I am now privileged to welcome the department of agriculture secretary, the honorable sonny perdue. Usda has been a key collaborator with epa on Agricultural Production practices. And we appreciate your leadership on this important topic. Secretary purdue thank you, alexandra and administrator. Thank you for convening this meeting. I recall a little over a year ago prior to being codified in the 2018 farm bill. We met to smooth out the consultation process that you described. Obviously in todays environment , there are a lot of people with a lot of Scientific Data and all of this needs to be taken into consideration. But its important for the to be informedge through one federal decision. The frustrating part of meeting the consultation is when people go and do their own, it makes it difficult. I think we have an obligation an expectation that our scientists Work Together. Where there is scientific disagreement, it will be peerreviewed and understood and acknowledged in that way. Hopefully, codifying the consultation procedure process will enable us to do that in a manner that will achieve a consensus report and report to the public for the very reasons administrator wheeler talked about. That is to assure the public of that is to assure the public of the safety of products being used for them and their families and also the other creatures god has made. That is very important. I want to thank you for convening this as the First Official codified consultation meeting. We look forward to working with you as well as the council on environmental quality, the department of the interior, the department of commerce, as well as you all in the Environmental Protection agency. Consultations and registration of pesticides under the act are another serious concern for production and farming communities, among many challenges today. As i mentioned in various Public Meetings, in the next three decades, we have a lot of mouths to feed. Almost 10 billion in the next near term. For those of my age, it will come quicker than you think. Weve got to continue our amazing record of productivity in america. And weve done it through the products ination of the past. It is important we continue. Production and yield will need to increase. That is the facts. To be these people, it will need to increase significantly. Crop protection tools are essential. Includes Technology Tools being developed as we speak. I am concerned with what we are hearing on providing certainty to the private sector, we are having companies originating ideas in the United States threatening to move to other countries that are more accepting of these issues and processes in order to create advances inhnology other parts of the world. The United States has led in this. The reason we are the superpower in Food Production is because we have been innovative and creative and have a Regulatory Framework that will allow us to facilitate the safe utilization of Crop Protection chemicals that feeds all of our citizens and much of the world. That is one of the challenges we have today. We need trade because our producers are so productive today. And it needs to continue as we have many mouths to feed. What we are concerned about with the new technology is if they cannot get certainty in reasonable timeline of how the products will be regulated, then they will move to other parts of whether it is south america or in the north. We have the opportunity to get the process scientifically and legally fixed. I believe that will benefit every agency here. But more importantly, it will benefit society at large, those that are concerned about endangered species and those that are concerned about the environmental safe use of products that would potentially affect those endangered species. It is important that we give clear direction. These consultations are important to do that. I would submit to you weve been talking about these for a number of months now. Time is of the essence. We need answers, and we need answers sooner rather than later. Every day of continued uncertainty hurts americas Agricultural Production and international competitiveness. And we have a duty to solve this problem. And i believe our instructions and directions from president of trump are to do that. Our partnership here now that its been officially codified, i want to recommit usda to helping to provide the needed Agricultural Data to better inform the consultation process. The Data Available by the National AgriculturalStatistical Service is considered Gold Standard in the industry. The network of Extension Specialists are on the ground across this country and our outstanding resources for local information on impacts. Our office of Pest Management policy which has been working with his group for over nine years is ever available to continue to help and facilitate this process. Administrator, you talked about realworld data. That weo submit to you do not take educated guesses in the usda. Scientific data of integrity. For the purpose of consultations, i would submit to you that this is the best and we would be willing to stand up to any peerreview available. None of us can have a corner on the market. That is why we have to come together to have a consultation and have our best experts discuss and come to a consensus over advising you of what action you need to take through the epa. Usdae let me know how the and our people can assist in getting some progress in this consultation is that will provide certainty to all stakeholders and those concerned and protect all species. Thank you very much. Thank you, secretary perdue. It is now my privilege to welcome the department of the interior secretary, the honorable david bernhardt. Youve been a tireless leader on these issues and actively engaged with your fish and Wildlife Services staff on the details of the consultation process for pesticides. Thank you for joining us. Bernhardt thank you for the kind introduction. It wouldnt be hyperbole to say pesticide consultations that are undergone might be the most difficult consultations either of the services have to perform. The reason that is is because our regulations, when they were written in 1986, were written with a problem in mind that was sort of different than a nationwide consultation. They were written with something in mind like a potential road going through a refuge or some other federal action. Our regulations are designed so action andok at the every single thing happening in the action area without the proposed action, and then add the new action to it to examine, which makes the complexity of the problem very significant. The administration is completely committed to stepping up to the challenge and establishing a process that is both expedient, protects species, and gives the pesticide users the regulatory assurances they require. We appreciate Congress Work on this issue and for codifying and expanding the work that was established in the memorandum of agreement in january of 2018. And frankly, a secretary perdue said, this is not the first time the secretaries of the departments have met to work through this issue. I suspect it will not be the last. Highlight two things that are important to us that we are trying to do. First, we are engaged in a process of updating our regulations. And i think that by doing that, we can think about how to improve the consultation process as it relates to these unique , broad applications. I believe this regulations will be shortly finalized. We are updating our species range maps to have greater detail and ensure when we look at where the pesticides might be applied and what their effects might be that we have uptodate information regarding the species. I look forward to working with the administrator and everybody here. I look forward to a full discussion and appreciate the opportunity to be included today. Thank you, secretary bernhardt. I now turn to the honorable wilbur ross. We look forward to continued engagement are you and your team on issues of key interest to fisheries and the National Marine fisheries service. Ross thank you for the kind introduction. I am pleased to be a member of the Interagency Working Group addressing the impact of pesticides on species listed under the endangered species act. I look forward to working with all of you. The issues are important, complicated, and controversial. And the impact many millions of americans. Its always difficult to reach consensus when so many agencies are involved, but we must Work Together to get it right. Departments Marine Fisheries service has always collaborated closely with the departments of interior and agriculture and with the epa on the impact of pesticides on endangered species. It also regularly contacts other national, regional, and statelevel stakeholders. Since january, 2018, our agencies have been working together on the memorandum of agreement to improve the process for consultations under the endangered species act. Scientists at the National Marine service are experts in environmental toxicology and marine biology. They specialize in evaluating accurate data, assessing risks, measuring the effects of chemicals on the environment, and developing appropriate conservation and recovery strategies as required under the endangered species act. Recently, we reviewed and commented on epas draft proposal for a new methodology for interagency consultations on the use and impact of pesticides. This draft proposal is currently out for public comment. We will Work Together with epa to increase the accuracy and timeliness of the rulings impacting the use of pesticides. Much of this is dictated by court orders, so there are many layers in the process of determining the need for and the types of conservation measures required under the endangered species act. Completed eight comprehensive biological opinions covering 30 active ingredients in pesticides. It is currently conducting one other review involving four pesticides. Previous interagency pesticide consultations produced multiple agreements on important aspects of the biology and toxicology used in the assessments. These assessments must meet legal requirements of the endangered species act. And they are monitored by the court and many other interested parties. This is a very complex set of issues, including label instructions, actual versus authorized use, and usage data. Mustfore, the best science underpin our regulatory decisions. As required by the farm bill, we look forward to continued collaboration with the other agencies on important needs such as the acquisition and analysis of accurate data. We look forward to our continued work with the epa to increase the pace of consultations while discharging the legal obligations under the act. Consultation process will lead to the successful implementation of necessary Risk Reduction measures in compliance with the act. We commit to work with our federal Agency Partners to make the process of developing more efficient and more effective measures that protect endangered you. K thank you, secretary ross. Pleasure to welcome he chairman of the council on environmental quality. Newmyers rman we appreciate her continued involvement in this tensional work and thank you for being with us this morning. Thank you for the introduction and queening this convening this meeting. You. Happy to be here with in 2017, c. E. Q. Began to work agencies here today on an effort to construct framework that is protective of listed species. For decades epa and the services have worked to determine how e. S. A. s lfill consultation requirements when reregistering pesticides. His included a variety of approaches, it included working ith the National Research council which identified strategies to improve interagency coordination. Addressing this issue has been a high priority for this which is tion committed to supporting agricultural committees an rural prosperity and committed to promoting Regulatory Reform for implementation of our environmental laws. Leadership of everyone in this room today, we were able successfully bring the develop rant agencies process to improve the for pesticide consultation. This led to the memorandum of which established this working group in 2018. There has nception, been significant efforts to twoshg improve the effectiveness and e consultation process we thank all of the agencies for their commitment to this group. Has been a productive and collaborative effort involving the u. S. Ervices, department of agriculture as well as c. E. Q. Has been rs and said in december 2018, there parts of the agreement. C. E. Q. Remains a member along other agencies. C. E. Q. Is working to continue to group and achieves the work. C. E. Q. Looks forward to epa nuing to partner with as we work to develop scientific the olicy approacheses for process of consultation in of the endangered species acts endangered species act. Thank you. Inspiring to hear what each of you bring to the table heard an optimistic tone to the details. Demonstrated this group has Great Potential to make great progress. Next steps will be a meeting that we will hold on onday, a Public Meeting, to review the revised e. S. A. Evaluation efforts be held on monday, june 10th on the building from 9 a. M. To noon, and i know many of you your staff and experts meeting. S for that we thank you for the commitments o hear the questions from the stakeholders who have great interest in how we are moving forward on this program. Point, we will conclude the open press portion of the and transition to a deliberative discussion. To you the members of the press today and our staff. Well be happy to escort you out the south entrance. Communicators,he were on capitol hill talking to c. E. S. On the m hill, an event that gives ongress and staffers an advanced look at new tech products. We are in a changing World Technology is moving it is kly, whether Artificial Intelligence or selfdriving cars. Amazing ll of this software that makes a difference. Of it s has to be aware so they can tackle issues like rivacy or other issues involving competitiveness because we are in a major battle economies, especially china. At 8 ch the communicators p. M. Eastern on cspan 2. A hook at the look at the primetime schedule. P. M. , remarks by several Democratic Candidates at campaign eoples president ial forum. P. M. On cspan 2, there be the state leaders summit. P. M. Eastern, ted cruz akes part in a discussion on freedom of expression and online speech. Light timony from robert hizer. The senate k before finance committee. And both the house and senate recess. The chambers return tuesday. The house gavels in at noon work on 2020ntinue pending bill, funding labor, health and human services, education, defense, state, and foreign operations. The chamber continues debate on amendments with a final vote possible tomorrow night. On can watch the house live cspan. And the senate gavels in at 3 work ontern to continue judicial and executive nominations. Most of their week will be used the 750 ebate on billion Defense Authorization defense programs and policies for 2020. Live n follow the senate on cspan 2. Do i look forward to running against them. Tuesday, president donald rally in orlando, florida, officially launching term. Un for a second atch live at 8 p. M. Eastern or isten live on the free cspan radio app. In for eviews are president s book. It was called a milepost in the president s. Of our and from the new york journal of president s makes a fast read. The at how historians rank best to the worst chief xecutives from george wish to barack obama, we look at the hallenges they face and the legacies they left behind. Cover vailable as a hard or ebook. The supreme day ourt ruled 72 to reaffirm the sovereigns doctrine which allows if iction of the same crime charges are filed separately at levels. Eral and state it was gamble v. The United States. This runs an hour and 20 minutes. Arguments this gamble in case 17646, versus United States. Thank you, mr. Chief justice, and may it please the court. Sovereigns is inconsistent with the text. Here is no dispute that the text of the cl