An Update from Capitol Hill

By Congresswoman Harriet Hageman

Last week was action packed, with committee hearings, floor votes and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress. 

I look forward to returning to Wyoming for August recess, where I will be meeting with constituents, holding town halls, having rallies and much more. 

House passes bill to protect victims’ voices

On July 23, the House of Representatives passed my bill, the Victims’ Voices Outside and Inside the Courtroom Effectiveness Act, which will ensure a person assuming the rights of a crime victim is eligible to receive restitution in the form of necessary and reasonable expenses associated with participating in the investigation or prosecution of the offense; attending proceedings relating to the offense or transporting a victim to receive medical, physical or occupational therapy, rehabilitation or other services. 

Current federal law often requires those convicted of a crime to pay restitution to their victim. 

A person assuming the rights for a victim, such as a husband, wife, mother or father may not be eligible for such payments, even when they play a necessary role in the legal process or obtaining medical treatment. This has been a far too common issue in crimes of violence and in Tribal communities where locating and protecting missing and exploited women and children is a major challenge. 

This bill would correct this injustice and strengthen the ability to care for victims while effectively prosecuting criminals. 

I was proud to work with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in getting this bill passed through both houses of Congress, and it is my hope President Joe Biden quickly signs this legislation into law. 

 House passes bill with Wyoming priorities

On July 24, the House passed House Resolution 8998, the Department of the Interior (DOI), Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025, which funds the DOI, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and several related agencies. 

The final bill is extremely favorable to Wyoming and included four of my amendments, as well as my bill to delist the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear.  

My amendments included in the bill would prohibit the finalization and implementation of the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan (RMP), block the finalization and implementation of the proposed RMP for the Buffalo and Miles City Field Offices, block the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Western Solar Plan and prevent the EPA’s new Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. 

The bill also includes language I wrote to prohibit natural asset evaluations, which further helps protect the West against the creation of natural asset companies.  

Other Wyoming priorities in the final bill include blocking the BLM’s Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, rescinding Biden’s “Environmental Justice” executive orders, preventing any funding for the housing of illegal aliens on National Park Service land and requiring the secretary to issue a minimum of four oil and gas lease sales in Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Nevada and Alaska. 

I will continue to fight against the Biden-Harris administration’s radical climate agenda, and this appropriations bill will help with those efforts. 

Standing with Israel

Additionally on July 24, I was honored to attend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress. 

In the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the corresponding surge in anti-Israel protests and blatant antisemitism, it is important America continues to stand with our greatest ally in the Middle East and the Jewish community both at home and abroad. 

I have and continue to support legislation which provides Israel with the funds it needs to defend itself in its ongoing war with Hamas, such as the Israel security supplemental recently signed into law. 

I will always stand with Israel in its fight to defend itself against terrorist organizations and states.

Hosting upcoming  town halls

I am proud to announce my upcoming town halls to be held in Teton, Sublette and Uinta counties. I invite everyone in the area to attend.

The Teton County town hall will be held on Aug. 6 from 12:30-1 p.m. at the Teton County Library in Jackson Hole, the Sublette County town hall will be held on Aug. 7 from 8-9 a.m. in the Lovatt Room at the Sublette County Library in Pinedale and the Uinta County Town Hall will be held on Aug. 11 from 1-2 p.m. at the Beeman-Cashin Building in Evanston. 

Congresswoman Harriet Hageman represents the state of Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives. She grew up on a ranch, attended Casper College on a livestock judging scholarship and earned both her bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of Wyoming. She can be reached by visiting hageman.house.gov.