Congressional Daily Record
This section captures a floor statement or debate entry. It mentions legislation such as Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act, committees such as Committee on Natural Resources, members such as Bruce Westerman.
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September 14, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5063) to ensure continuity of staffing at Federal beaches, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5063
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers
Act”.
SEC. 2. ADEQUATE LIFEGUARD STAFFING AT FEDERAL SWIMMING AREAS
AND BEACHES.
(a) In General.—If the Secretary determines there is a
staffing shortage with respect to a designated swim location,
the Secretary may seek to enter into an agreement with one or
more local government agencies to enable lifeguards employed
by those local government agencies to—
(1) adequately staff such designated swim location during
normal seasonal operating hours; and
(2) ensure visitor safety and provide rescue and first aid
services at the designated swim location as necessary.
(b) Reimbursement.—In entering into an agreement under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that the local
government agency providing the lifeguard services is
reimbursed for all reasonable costs incurred by the local
government agency in carrying out the agreement.
(c) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Designated swim location.—The term “designated swim
location” means a swimming area or swimming beach—
(A) on lands and waters managed by the National Park
Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the
Bureau of Land Management, or the Bureau of Reclamation; and
(B) that is typically monitored by federally employed
lifeguards during normal seasonal operating hours.
(2) Staffing shortage.—
(A) In general.—The term “staffing shortage” means a
level of staffing that negatively impacts the ability to
adequately staff a designated swim location with federally
employed lifeguards and will likely result or has resulted in
a designated swim location being left unmonitored by
federally employed lifeguards during normal seasonal
operating hours.
(B) Exclusion.—The term “staffing shortage” does not
refer to short-term staffing shortages caused by temporary
absences, such as an employee taking annual or sick leave.
(3) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary
of the Interior.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
General Leave
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 5063, the bill now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5063, the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act, which is championed by Representative Jen Kiggans of Virginia.
time outdoors with their families. Whether they are hiking a trail, camping, fishing, or spending a day at the beach, visitors should be able to safely enjoy the incredible recreation opportunities our public lands provide.
important role in keeping visitors safe, but when Federal agencies experience lifeguard staffing shortages, they do not always have the flexibility to quickly fill those gaps, even when trained local lifeguards may be available to help.
Representative Kiggans' bill provides a commonsense solution. Her legislation allows the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation to partner with local government agencies to provide lifeguard services when Federal lifeguards are in short supply at designated swimming areas.
visitors depend on, including water rescue and first aid, during the peak summer season.
Government cannot always solve staffing challenges quickly. When qualified local partners are willing and able to help keep visitors safe, Federal land managers should have the flexibility to work with them.
continued public access, and make sure families can enjoy some of our country's most popular outdoor recreational activities.
Mr. Speaker, I again thank Representative Kiggans for her leadership on this legislation introduced after her constituents highlighted lifeguard shortages that limited access and impacted safety at Assateague Island National Seashore. She worked diligently with her local community and National Park Service leadership to find a solution that will not only help keep her constituents and visitors safe but also ensure millions of visitors can continue to enjoy Virginia's pristine and world-class beaches.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5063, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5063 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to address lifeguard staffing shortages at Federal beaches by entering into agreements with local governments to ensure continuity of staff and proper lifeguard coverage.
Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation.
Lifeguards perform vital public safety services. While this bill provides a mechanism to prevent empty chairs, relying on local municipalities should not become a permanent Band-Aid for understaffed Federal agencies. We can't lose sight of why, one of the key reasons why, we lack enough lifeguards in the first place: the DOGE effort dedicated to firing park workers, implementing hiring freezes, and gutting our Federal agencies.
Service positions, including lifeguards, were filled. These cuts forced Federal managers to scramble, leaving communities to step in and fund these critical positions—also putting lives in danger.
of its permanent workforce since the beginning of 2025 due to this administration's firing of park staff and slashing agency budgets.
support of this bill—a real priority should be rebuilding a fully funded, fully staffed Federal workforce that is focused on efficiency and getting the job done while we are good stewards of taxpayer dollars.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Kiggans), the lead sponsor of this bill.
Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5063, the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act.
beach and the bay. For families across coastal Virginia and the millions of Americans who visit our Federal beaches every year, water safety is incredibly important.
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Seashore was unable to provide its normal lifeguard coverage at the Federal beach in Chincoteague, Virginia. Families continued visiting and swimming, but the lifeguards they had come to rely on were not there.
Our local leaders stepped up. The town of Chincoteague and Accomack County took on unforeseen costs to make sure lifeguards returned to the beach and families could safely enjoy the water.
Federal staffing problem on their own. That is why I introduced the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act.
My bill provides a commonsense solution. When the Department of the Interior determines that a Federal swimming area is facing a lifeguard staffing shortage, it can partner with local governments to provide the necessary coverage. Importantly, when a local government steps up to provide those lifeguards, the Federal Government will reimburse it for the reasonable costs it incurs.
Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation that are normally monitored by Federal lifeguards.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is about public safety, accountability, and giving our communities a solution when Washington falls short.
with us after seeing this problem firsthand. I am proud that we have an opportunity to make sure communities across the country have another tool to keep their beaches safe.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I once again thank Representative Kiggans for her leadership on this issue and for her valuable service as a vital member of the House Committee on Natural Resources. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5063, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5063, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.