IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1176 
Expressing disapproval of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative entered 
into by the Biden administration. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 29, 2024 
Mr. NEWHOUSE (for himself, Mrs. RODGERS of Washington, Mr. FULCHER, 
Mr. BENTZ, Mr. ROSENDALE, and Mr. ZINKE) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing disapproval of the Columbia Basin Restoration 
Initiative entered into by the Biden administration. 
Whereas about 95 to 98 percent of juvenile fish survive after 
passing through each of the 8 Federal dams within the 
Columbia-Snake River System; 
Whereas 90 percent of the renewable energy generated in the 
Pacific Northwest region of the United States is provided 
by the Columbia-Snake River System; 
Whereas roughly 1,800,000 homes receive clean energy gen-
erated by the Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little 
Goose, and Lower Granite Dams, collectively known as 
the 4 Lower Snake River dams; 
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•HRES 1176 IH 
Whereas the 4 Lower Snake River dams generate more than 
1,000 megawatts of carbon-free hydroelectric energy and 
have the capability to generate over 3,000 megawatts; 
Whereas between 50,000,000 and 60,000,000 tons of cargo 
worth approximately $3,000,000,000 are barged annually 
through the Columbia-Snake River System, including 
through the 4 Lower Snake River dams; 
Whereas between 40 to 60 percent of all United States wheat 
exports are shipped through the Columbia-Snake River 
System, mostly on the Lower Columbia River through 
deep-water draft ports; 
Whereas an environmental impact statement published on 
October 8, 2020, by the Army Corps of Engineers, the 
Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bonneville Power Ad-
ministration found that the 4 Lower Snake River dams 
should not be breached and that Federal restoration ef-
forts should instead be focused on improving and main-
taining hydroelectric power assets while working to im-
prove salmon passage; 
Whereas on October 15, 2021, the State of Washington an-
nounced plans to assess whether to breach the 4 Lower 
Snake River dams; 
Whereas on October 21, 2021, the Department of Justice an-
nounced a settlement reached between the parties of Na-
tional Wildlife Federation, et al. v. National Marine Fish-
eries Service, et al. (Case No. 3:01–cv–00640–SI) (in this 
resolution referred to as ‘‘NWF v. NMFS’’), which in-
cluded a stay on the case until July 2022 and led to me-
diated discussions to resolve the litigation; 
Whereas on September 13, 2023, members of Congress sent 
a letter to the Council on Environmental Quality express-
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•HRES 1176 IH 
ing concerns with the mediation discussions resulting 
from NWF v. NMFS and urging the Council to utilize 
the remainder of the stay on the litigation to productively 
engage with all the parties in the mediation process; 
Whereas on September 27, 2023, the Biden administration 
released a memorandum titled ‘‘Restoring Health and 
Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish 
Populations in the Columbia River Basin’’ (88 Fed. Reg. 
67617), outlining a plan for fish migration in the Colum-
bia River Basin; 
Whereas on December 14, 2023, as a product the mediation 
discussions resulting from NWF v. NMFS, the Biden ad-
ministration entered into a memorandum of under-
standing with Washington, Oregon, the Confederated 
Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confed-
erated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the 
Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of 
Oregon, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Pacific Coast Federa-
tion of Fishermen’s Associations, the Institute for Fish-
eries Resources, the Sierra Club, Idaho Rivers United, 
the Northwest Sport Fishing Industry Association, the 
NW Energy Coalition, the National Wildlife Federation, 
Columbia Riverkeeper, the Idaho Conservation League, 
and Fly Fishers International to implement the Columbia 
Basin Restoration Initiative; 
Whereas throughout the mediation discussions resulting from 
NWF v. NMFS, key stakeholders and community mem-
bers directly impacted by the litigation were left in the 
dark as negotiations proceeded behind closed doors; 
Whereas the Biden administration and dam-breaching advo-
cates are intent on achieving a de facto breach of the 4 
Lower Snake River dams by opening the gates to reduce 
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•HRES 1176 IH 
the water below the minimum operating levels for hydro-
electric power generation; 
Whereas the decision to breach the 4 Lower Snake River 
dams ultimately lies with Congress, which must authorize 
the matter, not the Biden administration; 
Whereas the Biden Administration has irresponsibly made 
commitments regarding the Columbia River Basin, which 
are dependent on congressional appropriations that have 
not been promised, negotiated, secured, or allocated: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes that the 4 Lower Snake River 
dams are the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest re-
gion of the United States and are vital to a strong 
all-of-the-above energy strategy; and 
(2) disapproves of the Columbia Basin Restora-
tion Initiative, as proposed in the memorandum of 
understanding filed on December 14, 2023, in the 
District Court for the District of Oregon in NWF v. 
NMFS. 
Æ 
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