Diana DeGette

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chairman, I have nothing but great affection and respect for my friend from the Third Congressional District, and I have worked with him and his predecessors as I have developed this bill over the last 20-plus years, but I respectfully have to strongly disagree with him over his proposal to remove these two areas from the legislation. As a matter of fact, as I mentioned earlier in general debate, I actually went to these two areas over the August recess and I visited these areas. I invited Mr. Tipton to come, but he was unavailable. When we were in the Cross Canyon area, we rode in on horses because there are no trails. It is completely inaccessible. There we saw ancestral pueblos. We saw petroglyphs with our own eyes. When we went to the Weber-Menefee area to the area overlooking it, we saw really clearly how this area was wild and needed protection. And, by the way, the areas with the noxious weeds were several miles away, not even close to the wilderness area. I do understand these concerns, but I believe these two areas are a case study for who you should listen to when you decide what wilderness should be. As I said in general debate, when Commissioner Ertel came to testify before Congress, he rightly said that I had never been to these two areas. So, last August I went there, and I toured the areas. I had a town hall meeting in Cortez, which is the town that is right in between these two areas. We had over 70 people who showed up at this town hall meeting, and I presented what the bill was. Several other people asked questions, presented opposing views. At the end I just had a gut feeling that there was support there, so I took an impromptu survey, and I asked the people in that room, ``How many of you, knowing what you know, would support designation of Cross Canyon and Weber-Menefee as wilderness?'' Sixty-five people raised their hands. Then I asked, ``How many of you would oppose it?'' Four people raised their hands. When I asked, ``How many are neutral,'' four people raised their hands. It seems to me we shouldn't be having local county commissioners have veto power either over the citizens in those areas or over the U.S. Congress in determining wilderness. And by the way, the local mayor of Cortez and the town council have all voted to support designation of these areas--both of which have been wilderness study areas for over 30 years--permanently. That is why we need to keep these areas in our bill. That is why they need to be designated as wilderness because they are wild and pristine. And that is why I humbly and respectfully ask for a ``no'' vote on this amendment Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman should be assured we spent quite a little bit of money in your town. I just want to say what the gentleman said points to exactly what I am saying. He says that the Cortez town council and mayor are not managing the county lands. Well, guess what, the county commissioners aren't managing the Federal lands. These are Federal lands. These are wilderness study areas, and they have been wilderness study areas for almost 30 years. The residents, the local residents, they are the ones that should care. They are the ones using these areas and they want them to be preserved. Mr. Chairman, I refer again, on the Western Slope in the areas referenced in this bill, New Bridge Strategy did a poll last October of 2019, and they found that in those areas, 71 percent of Coloradans support wilderness protections for those already managed as such, like these two areas. And 63 percent supported expanding wilderness protections across the State. These are the people who matter. These are the people who care. Also, we have a list of 80 different groups, most of them on the Western Slope, and we have a list of 179 business owners and community leaders, most of them on the Western Slope, who support this legislation. The reason is because the local governments and the county governments are benefiting from the visits that they have to these areas. In Cortez, one of the biggest employers is Osprey. Almost everybody has an Osprey backpack or something in their home. They are selling their goods to the people who are using these areas. That is why I oppose this amendment. That is why we need to pass this bill, and we need to protect these areas that are already wilderness study areas and have been for 30 years, for the future generations to come. I include in the Record the list of business owners and the conservation and recreation groups, as well as the survey from New Bridge Strategy. Conservation and Recreation Groups in Support of Title I: Colorado Wilderness Act of 2020 (DeGette--H.R. 2546) (80) 1. Access Fund 2. Aiken Audubon Society 3. American Alpine Club 4. American Hiking Society 5. American Whitewater 6. Ancient Forest Rescue 7. Animas Riverkeeper 8. Arkansas Valley Audubon Society 9. Audobon Society Denver 10. Audubon Rockies 11. Audubon Society of Greater Denver 12. Backcountry Hunters and Anglers 13. Backcountry Skiers Alliance 14. Biodiversity Legal Foundation 15. Big Agnes 16. Black Canyon Audubon Society 17. Blue River Anglers 18. Boulder County Aububon Soc. 19. Center for Environmental Citizenship 20. Central Colorado Wilderness Coalition 21. Clean Water Advocacy Center 22. Colorado Mountain Club 23. Colorado Native Plant Society 24. Colorado Wild/Rocky Mountain Wild 25. Colorado Wildlife Federation 26. Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center 27. Community Alliance of the Yampa Valley 28. Conservation Alliance 29. Conservation Colorado/League of Conservation Voters 30. Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship 31. CoPIRG 32. CU Environmental Center 33. Defenders of Wildlife 34. Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund 35. Endangered Species Coalition 36. Environment Colorado/Environment America 37. Friends of Browns Canyon 38. Friends of The Yampa 39. Frying Pan Anglers 40. Grand Valley Audubon Society 41. Grand Valley Citizen's Alliance 42. Great Old Broads for Wilderness 43. High Country Citizen's Alliance 44. Land & Water Fund of the Rockies 45. La Sportiva 46. Mesa County Wilderness Coalition 47. National Parks Conservation Association 48. National Wildlife Federation 49. Natural Resources Defense Council 50. Osprey 51. Outdoor Alliance 52. Outdoor Industry Association 53. Patagonia 54. Protect Our Winters 55. Quiet Use Coalition 56. Ridgway-Ouray Community Council 57. Roaring Fork Anglers 58. Roaring Fork Audubon 59. Rocky Mountain Canoe Club 60. Rocky Mountain Field Institute 61. Rocky Mountain Recreation Initiative 62. San Juan Citizen's Alliance 63. San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council 64. Sopris Greens 65. Sheep Mountain Alliance 66. Sierra Club Rocky Mountain/Sierra Club 67. Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project 68. Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance 69. Trout Unlimited 70. Uncompahgre Valley Association 71. Western Colorado Alliance for Community Action formerly Western Colorado Congress 72. Western Environmental Law Center 73. Western Resource Advocates 74. Western Slope Environmental Resource Council 75. Wild Connections 76. Wilderness Education Institute 77. Wilderness Land Trust 78. Wilderness Workshop 79. Wildlands Restoration Volunteers 80. Winter Wildlands Alliance Businesses in Support of Title I: Colorado Wilderness Act of 2020 (DeGette--H.R. 2546) (187) 1. Friends Fields Inc 2. Hart's Skating and Dancewear 3. House of Seasons 4. Mr. Mike's Repair 5. Hill's Aspen Gallery of Photography 6. Hotel Lenado 7. UTE Mountaineer 8. Bristlecone Mountain Sports 9. Taylor Creek Fly Shops 10. Ames Burgess Ranch LLC 11. Boulder Mountain Repair 12. Little Mountain 13. Montgomery Partnership Architecture 14. Mountain Sports 15. Target Earth International 16. The Cup Espresso Cafe 17. Neptune Mountaineering 18. Big City Blues 19. Loom and Weave Inc 20. Mountain Angler 21. Rasta Pasta 22. The Adventure Rafting Company 23. Great Big Color Inc 24. MasterPrint 25. The Trailhead 26. Echo Canyon River Exp. Inc. 27. Mother Nature's Health Food Store 28. Alpine Angling and Adventure Travel 29. Sopris Surfers 30. Centennial Canoe Outfitters Inc. 31. Boulder Running Company 32. Cripple Creek District Museum 33. Criterium Bicycles 34. Gordon Anderson Photography 35. Mountain Chalet 36. Pikes Peak Mountain Bike 37. The E-Quest Corporation 38. Canyon Sports LLc 39. Jake's Rio Grande Outfitting Service 40. Butte Bagels Inc 41. Bill Myers, P.C. 42. C.W. Action 43. Colorado Outdoor Recreational Adventures 44. Confluence Kayaks LLc 45. Golden West Co. LLC 46. Patagonia (Denver) 47. Arapahoe CafZ/Pub 48. Pug Ryan's (brewery) 49. Dolores River Brewery 50. A Shared Blanket 51. AAM's Mild to Wild Rafting 52. Animas Trading Co 53. Animon City Rock LLC 54. Aquarius Adventures 55. Backcountry Experience 56. Branson Reynolds Photography 57. Carver Brewing Co 58. Carver Brewing Company 59. Colorado Mtn. Expeditions 60. Concrete Ski Shop 61. Couldberries 62. Dancing Willows Herbs Inc. 63. Duranglers Inc. 64. Durango Kid 65. Durango Shirt Co. 66. Ecos Consulting 67. Flexible Flyers Rafting 68. Gardenswartz Sporting Goods 69. Gunnar Conrad Photography 70. Hummingbirds Herbals 71. Main Avenue Marketplace 72. Maria's Bookshop 73. Nature's Oasis 74. Norton Painting Inc. 75. P. River Outfitters 76. Performance Video 77. Pineneedle Mountaineering 78. POPOLI--Design for People 79. Precious Earth 80. Reruns 81. Rhea Environmental Consulting 82. Ski Barn Inc. 83. The Boarding Haus 84. The Light Store Inc 85. Urban Homestead 86. Yoga Durango 87. Mountain Misen LTD 88. In the Groove Inc. 89. The Snow Leopard 90. Rock Solid Adventures 91. DejaVu Coffeehouse 92. Hammocks in the Square 93. Hearne's Fine Goods 94. New Belgium Brewing Co. 95. Poudre River Kayaks 96. Rocky Mountain Home Collection 97. Trails End Hardscapes Inc. 98. COPY COPY 99. Pioneer Sports 100. Summit Canyon Mountaineering 101. Architecture Works 102. Mounainsmith 103. The Bent Gate Inc. 104. Timberline Llamas Inc. 105. Greeley Monument Works 106. Marbled Artworks by Marie Palowoda 107. Margies Java Joint & The Book Stop 108. Mellow Yellow 109. Paws Animal Clinic 110. All Sports Replay 111. Black Diamond Exp. & Tenderfoot Rafting 112. Mountain Mamas 113. The Book Worm 114. Cannibal Outdoors 115. Hall Realty, Mountaineer Inc. 116. Lake City Properties Inc. 117. Rosemary Knight CPA 118. The Pueblo House 119. Zen Home Construction Inc. 120. Donut Hut 121. Sisters' Espresso 122. Backcountry Escape LLC 123. Grandpa's Pawn and Gun 124. The Dickens House Bed & Breakfast 125. Red Canyon Art Co. 126. Deer Hill Expeditions 127. Blue Planet Earthscapes 128. The Cliff House @Pikes Peak 129. Black Cat Books 130. Mountain Wind and Sun 131. Natural Gems by the Corner Goldsmith 132. The Hemp Store 133. Backstreet Bagel & Deli 134. Devinny Jewelers 135. Cimarron Creek 136. Montrose Chiropractic 137. Ross Reels 138. Scott Fly Rods 139. The Soul Garden 140. Valley Books & Coffee 141. Streamside Bed & Breakfast 142. Outwest Guides 143. Reed Designs LLC 144. Vistas and Vineyards B&B 145. Earth Write 146. The John Deaux Art Gallery 147. Redstone Inn 148. Adobe Inn 149. Cimarron Books & Coffeehouse 150. CO Kids Clothing Co. 151. Ridgway Office Supply & Services 152. Firehouse Sculpture & Gallery 153. Ridgway Outdoor Experience 154. Ridgway Rentals 155. San Juan Stone Company LLC 156. Unicas Southwest 157. White House Salon 158. Willowcreek Floral 159. Light Hawk 160. Lifestream Water Systems 161. Silver Mountain Harvest LTD 162. Simpler Way Book Co. 163. Renegade LLC 164. Alpine Art & Glasswork 165. Backcountry Provisions 166. Backdoor Sports Ltd. 167. Bamboo Market 168. Epilogue Book Company 169. Little Moon Essentials 170. Mad Dog Sports 171. Mail Boxes, Etc. 172. Matt & Bryan's Outdoor Shop 173. Mountain High Technology 174. One Stop Ski Shop Ltd 175. Orange Peel Bicycle Service US 176. Spring Sips 177. Straightline Outdoor Sports 178. Use It Again Sports 179. Vino 180. Ivar Eidsmo Builder Inc. 181. Telluride Outside 182. Tomboy Soup 183. Vectra Bank Colorado 184. Arkansas Valley Adventure 185. Civilized Designs from the Wild West 186. EcoFlight 187. Lupitar Bizzare Bazaar Business Owners and Community Leaders in Support of Title I: Colorado Wilderness Act of 2020 (DeGette--H.R. 2546) (179) 1. Bill Myers 2. Carmi McLean 3. Jonathan Kahn 4. Errol Cerovski 5. Dave Richardson 6. Claudia Goodman 7. Karen Gordan 8. Dan Groenwald 9. Steve Montgomery 10. Daniel Howley 11. Nicole Holt 12. Wendy Ball 13. Gary Neptune 14. Andrea Gessner 15. Jeremy Feldman 16. Jackson Streit 17. Noble Wolf Schlicht 18. Sean McLaughlin 19. Meena Keuer 20. Michael & Star Betz 21. Travis Holton 22. Sherleen Westfield 23. Matt Sampson 24. Nancy Brown 25. Main Turner 26. Nina Thompson 27. Claire Carren 28. Vicki Stroud 29. Jamie Black 30. Frank Lilly 31. Mark Wimberly 32. Weston & Mary Mauz 33. Judy McDonald/Mary Ward 34. Joe Wright 35. Daniel Delano 36. Bob Wade 37. Susan & Don Edmonds 38. Tim Heng 39. Martha A. Burgess 40. Jeff Dysart 41. Dale Ahrens 42. Duane Daniels 43. David Jake Powell 44. Mark Youngguist 45. D. Frank 46. Alex Mickel 47. Cathy Wakeman 48. Anne Batt-Ostlund 49. Valyda May 50. Kirk Singer 51. Branson Reynolds 52. Barbara Wynne 53. Zachary Lawrence 54. Pete Turner 55. Cheryl Hobby 56. Debra Reuben 57. Tom Knopick 58. Barbara Haas 59. Kristin Kuhn 60. Chris Calwell 61. Robin Fritch & Steven Saltsman 62. Brian Hessling 63. Gunnar Conrad 64. Melanie Rose 65. Andrea Brenell 66. Peter Schertz 67. Jeff & Sherri Watson 68. Dylan Norton 69. Tom Kleema 70. Kent Ford 71. Cindy Schroeder 72. Christine Conner 73. Kim Pardini 74. Laura Fickard 75. Barry Rhea 76. Jurgen Umbhau 77. John Agnew 78. Crissy Schneider 79. Tracy Campbell 80. ``Katie Walsh 81. Michele Lawrence 82. Sherly McGourty'' 83. Steve Davis 84. Andrew Smith 85. Greg Osgood 86. Marianne Tarr 87. Marcia Duncan 88. Jack & Leslie Nichols 89. Phil & Carolyn Virden 90. William & Ruthanna Hall 91. Rosemary Knight 92. Christi Hall 93. Ken Bodine 94. Douglas & Beverly Caplin 95. Pete Freer 96. David Devinny 97. Bob Burk 98. John T. Unger 99. David S. Heller 100. Junimz Britschi 101. Jim Riddell 102. Charlie Peterson 103. Gary Hubbell 104. Lorna Reed 105. Iris Meachum 106. Riadeaux 107. Deborah Strom 108. Joyce Bucknam 109. Priscilla Peters 110. Ellen Hunter 111. Gale Ingram 112. Joni McCullough 113. Albert Adams 114. Patsy Young 115. Cindy Feirn 116. Deborah Lombardo 117. Judi S. 118. Paula Brown 119. Michelle G. 120. Maryelleu & Brandon Hubley 121. John Marshall 122. Betsy Fields 123. Vickie Rosenzweig 124. David Pepin 125. Peter Van de Carr 126. Anne Halloran 127. Erica Focelle 128. Laura Lamun 129. John Seymour 130. Al Callahan 131. Matt Taff, Bryan Ayer 132. Marty Rosenzweig 133. John M Kole 134. Brock S. Webster 135. Stephanie Reineke 136. Brett Lee 137. Fred Garrison 138. Michael Kirlum & Lisa Lesyshen 139. Ivar Eidsmo 140. John Duncan 141. Jessica Newens Co. 142. Timothy J. Cannon 143. Debbie Dacton & Michael McBride 144. Maria Palowoda 145. Deanna Shepard 146. Jodie Callen 147. David Shoemaker 148. Shonda Lehtola 149. Rod Brandenburg 150. Kim Khake 151. Dick & Jan Scar 152. David Burch 153. Marjorie F. Oldfield 154. Cody Hill 155. Jan MacKell 156. Nic Ponsor 157. Gordon Anderson 158. Dan Foster 159. Howard Hallman Jr. 160. George Watson 161. Becky Elder 162. Craig A. Hartman 163. Natalie Johnson 164. Laura Bell 165. Stephen A. Smith 166. Dennis & Kathleen Claveau 167. Mike Kunkel 168. Duke Brad Ford 169. Julia Gumpter & Marty Genereux 170. Drew Shaw 171. Richard & Carol Wolfe 172. Laurie Hurd 173. Margy Dalpes 174. Karin Dukehart 175. Carol Boyd 176. Michael Cady 177. Joe Doyle 178. Kristine Dirla 179. Kristi Floyd

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment, even though I am not opposed to it.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chair, there has been a lot of debate for a long time about how this bill might or might not impact military training in Colorado, and I myself have been concerned about this for some years. We have been looking at this for over 10 years, ever since we found out about the high-altitude training by the National Guard. We have provisions in the underlying bill and, of course, we have accepted an amendment from Mr. Cunningham that would clearly say nothing in this bill will interfere with the HAATS activities. As a matter of fact, we removed several areas from the original bill that we found out had helicopter landing pads in them and we called them potential wilderness, because, frankly, I don't think that landing a helicopter in an area is an approved wilderness use, and I have said that all along. So, therefore, we want to make sure that the National Guard can continue to do its landing in these areas as long as it deems that it is necessary to do so. We have written the underlying bill that way. Mr. Cunningham's amendment clarifies it. And, frankly, if this amendment will help to clarify the situation even more, I would be happy to go along with that because I do not intend, and I don't think any of the other bill sponsors intend, to interfere with our national defense. People might be surprised to find out the findings of the study once it comes out, because the Pentagon often supports the protective buffer that wilderness offers for aviation training. Also, this bill is supported by a number of veterans and other military organizations. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record a letter dated February 11, 2020, from the Vet Voice Foundation that shows support for this legislation and, in particular, support for the wilderness in this legislation. Vet Voice Foundation, February 11, 2020. Subject: Vet Voice Foundation Support for H.R. 2546-- Protecting America's Wilderness Act. Hon. Diana DeGette, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Congresswoman DeGette: I am Paul Eaton, Major General (Ret.), U.S. Army, who served more than 30 years in the United States Army, including combat and post-combat assignments in Iraq, Bosnia and Somalia, and Senior Advisor for the Vet Voice Foundation (VVF). The VVF serves as a platform for veterans to influence policy outcomes and has over 500,000 members with over 34,000 living in California and Colorado. We write to express our support for H.R. 2546-- Protecting America's Wilderness Act. Our support for H.R. 2546 is based on our intent to protect our public lands. Those who serve our country fought to preserve American freedoms and lifestyles. Almost nothing better encapsulates these ideals than the wild spaces and ecologically rich lands that have changed little since our country's founding, thanks to the laws that protect them. Through our work, we know veterans return from war and turn to the outdoors to find relief from the trauma and stresses of war and reintegration. For many veterans who've returned from locations marked by desperation and violent conflict, nature and wildlife can be a critical source of strength and healing. The Protecting America's Wilderness Act would ensure veterans and future generations have access to the great outdoors. We also recognize that the Protecting America's Wilderness Act would provide permanent protections for landscapes in Colorado, California, and Washington by designating over 1.3 million acres of federal land as new, expanded or potential wilderness and safeguarding more than 1,200 miles of river as components of the National Wild and Scenic River System. These bills are the product of years of input by a wide variety of stakeholders and will boost local economies, recreation opportunities, and protect wildlife and their habitats. In order to protect and defend our public lands, we strongly support H.R. 2546--Protecting America's Wilderness Act. Thank you for your continued support of our public lands and consideration of Vet Voice Foundation's views. If we can be of assistance on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Respectfully, Paul Eaton, Major General (Ret.), U.S. Army, Senior Advisor, Vet Voice Foundation.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chair, I urge support for Mr. Tipton's amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, this motion to recommit may sound innocuous, but it truly is a wolf in sheep's clothing, and let me tell you why. Our local agencies already have the ability to fight fires if they need to in wilderness areas. There is no provision in the Wilderness Act that says they can only use axes or nonmechanical items, none. They keep saying this all day, and I don't know why. It is simply not true. What this amendment would do is it would give some amorphous entity the ability to use mechanical means whenever they thought necessary, potentially usurping the right of local governments. And also, as the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) pointed out, the local areas, the management teams, already had the ability to fight fires how they wanted. And what is more, in the underlying bill, we say that. But just to make clear, just about everybody in this Chamber just voted for the Panetta amendment, which underscores that we can fight fires in wilderness. But let's talk about what this bill really is about. Let's talk about it, because it is so important for our children and our grandchildren, the future generations. Today, we have a bipartisan ability to preserve these special wild areas. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to preserve 1.4 million acres of wilderness across the West for our generations to come. It will stimulate the economies of our States; it will encourage recreation; it will encourage conservation; and it will take us a long way to our goal of preserving 30 percent of public lands by 2030 to start slowing down the changing of our climate. P.S., if we slow down the climate change, we slow down the forest fires, and everybody in this Chamber knows that. Look at the charts that we have of the areas in this bill. I want to show everybody these gorgeous areas: This first chart, one of the 35 areas in my Colorado Wilderness Act, the Dolores Canyon River; The second chart, the Middle Fork Eel Wild and Scenic River in Mr. Huffman's Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forest Act; The third chart, Dry Lakes Ridge in Mr. Carbajal's Central Coast Heritage Protection Act. And, by the way, Mr. Speaker, you can see here where they had a fire, and you can see here what happened when that area remediated itself from the fire: beautiful wildflowers. The San Gabriel National Recreation Area waterways in Ms. Chu's act, you can see the beautiful areas that are protected there. The Rim of the Valley in Mr. Schiff's Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act. These were sent to him by his constituents, who love these areas. And the Skokomish River in Mr. Kilmer's Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Folks, this is what we are talking about. This is the legacy we are leaving our children. The Wilderness Act of 1964 says: Wilderness should be preserved as an area where the Earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. That is what we are talking about today. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this motion to recommit and vote ``yes'' on this important groundbreaking bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, on December 18, 2019, due to presiding over the House of Representatives, I was unable to speak on the House floor during the debate for House Resolution 755--the Impeachment of Donald John Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors. This is a sad and solemn day in our nation's history. None of us came to Congress to impeach a president but, when we assumed office, every one of us took an oath to uphold the Constitution. The evidence shows clearly that President Trump abused his power, put our national security at risk and sought to undermine the integrity of our elections. When he was caught, he tried to cover it up. When a president decides to violate the public's trust by putting his own self-interests ahead of the country's--as President Trump has done--the House of Representatives has a duty to act. As our nation's top constitutional experts have opined, President Trump's conduct is precisely what our founders feared. It's why they gave Congress the power to remove a president from office, if necessary. No one in this country is above the law; and President Trump, by his own actions, left us no choice but to approve the articles of impeachment against him.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, on December 4, 2019, my vote did not register on the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act (S. 151) due to a technical malfunction. I wish the record to reflect my ``AYE'' vote for call No. 647.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast my vote on the Making Appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes (H.R. 3055). Had I been present for roll call No. 631, I would have voted ``AYE.''

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chairman, as we heard, Chaco Canyon is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the reason it is listed this way is because it is a place of magic and history. Anyone who has slept there under the stars, as I have, and as I would urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to do, knows what a special and unique place this is and why it must be protected. But there are many ways one can damage an historic site. Obviously, you can damage the very soil that it sits on. But you can also damage the air quality that the visitors to this site find every year. Oil and gas development produces smog and gas flares that harm animals, vegetation, and people who live nearby. It also undermines the park's pristine night skies that attract thousands of visitors every year. It emits methane that leads to harmful ground-level ozone pollution, and it is just not worth destroying this precious treasure. I support reasonable oil and gas development throughout the West in my State, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and so many places. But just because we should have oil and gas development in appropriate places doesn't mean we should have it everywhere, certainly not near or in Chaco Canyon. That is why I support this legislation, Mr. Chairman, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Chair, I want to thank my colleague from Colorado and laud him for taking on the mantle of supporting the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act. Our State has some of the most remarkable outdoor landscapes in the country. As a fourth-generation Coloradan, I understand how important our public lands are to our livelihoods, our health, and, yes, our identity. Like many Coloradans, I have personal memories of camping and hiking with my family and using our public lands to teach my daughters about the importance of environmental stewardship and conservation. But preserving our public lands is not important just to those of us who enjoy exploring the outdoors; it is important to our State's economy. We can't allow ourselves to sit back and assume that the places we cherish today will be there for future generations to experience as well. Every 30 seconds, our Nation loses the equivalent of a football field of natural area due to human activity. Let me say that again. Every 30 seconds, our Nation loses a football field of natural area due to human activity. We are seeing this right now in our home State with the pressures of population growth. That is why, for more than 20 years, I have been working with my colleagues in Congress, with local elected officials, and with citizens across the State to protect the very few remaining special areas that we have left. That is why I am so honored that we are now beginning to see the fruits of all of this action. The legislation that we will vote on today will protect an additional 400,000 acres of public lands in our State, including 70,000 acres of wilderness. It is part of our overall effort to preserve 1 million acres of public lands in our State, not just for wilderness, but also for multiple use, which is so critical for our State. Together, the CORE Act and the Colorado Wilderness Act, which I am the prime sponsor of, will help boost Colorado's multibillion-dollar outdoor recreation industry, which supports more than 220,000 jobs in our State. They will also help increase our Nation's tourism industry, lift nearby property values, and improve residents' overall quality of life. Our constituents have been clear on this issue: they want to protect our public lands. As Congressman Neguse noted, one recent poll found that as many as 90 percent of Colorado's residents believe that protecting our outdoor recreation economy is important to the future of our State. Our State has changed. Our economy is dependent on the preservation of our special remaining wild places. I know many of us in the congressional delegation would agree. That is why we are so united in this effort. That is why we are eager to take on this fight. Madam Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to give the people of our State what they want and to vote for this important legislation.

Ms. DeGETTE. Will the gentleman yield?

Ms. DeGETTE. I would just note--and the gentleman and I have actually discussed this--as we have been preparing the maps for my bill, which we are going to be seeing in the Natural Resources Committee in the next few weeks, we have seen, even in areas that are protected as wilderness study areas or other BLM Federal lands, we have seen a steady erosion by people who are over loving these lands, and that is why we need these protections.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1423, the FAIR Act. Forced arbitration clauses were originally intended to mediate business disputes among businesses, not between businesses and individuals, but now they are found in every aspect of our lives. From employment contracts to student loans, to cellphone plans, to credit cards and numerous other goods and services, every American has agreed to forced arbitration, whether they want to or not. This bill ensures that individuals have the right to choose how they seek justice: the choice to go to court, the choice to join a class action lawsuit, and, yes, even the choice to go to arbitration. But these choices should not be made for them by somebody else. Passage of the FAIR Act will restore that choice, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chair, in 2017, with little debate, the Republican- led Chamber quietly approved a provision to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling. ANWR is our Nation's largest wildlife refuge, and it is the ancestral home to the Gwich'in people and current home to more than 250 species of wildlife, including threatened species like polar bears that raise their cubs there. As the chairman said, I have traveled to this special place. I have met with the Gwich'in people. I saw the pristine beauty of the coastal plain, and I saw thousands of Porcupine caribou in their annual migration process. I know how important this refuge is to our entire ecosystem. Instead of protecting this important environment, this administration is going to open it up to drilling and allow it to be destroyed for an indeterminate amount of oil. Why? The American people are overwhelmingly opposed to this plan. They want this land preserved, not destroyed. This bill, H.R. 1146, will block the administration's disastrous plan and protect the refuge. Mr. Chair, I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, each year, July 24th, is recognized as ``International Self-Care Day,'' an annual opportunity to put a spotlight on the benefits that safe and effective self-care provide to advance public health. Consumer healthcare products such as over-the- counter (OTC) medicines, consumer medical devices, and dietary supplements play a critical role in self-care. Americans enjoy easy access to consumer healthcare products at thousands of retail locations nationwide and online, and they recognize the tremendous value that consumer healthcare products provide for individuals and healthcare systems. In fact, OTCs alone save the U.S. healthcare system over $146 billion annually. For every $1 consumers spend on OTC medicines, the healthcare system saves $7 by reducing the need for more expensive types of healthcare. That's why I was so proud to introduce H.R. 3443 with my colleague from Ohio, Mr. Latta.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 2047) to provide for a 2-week extension of the Medicaid community mental health services demonstration program, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Congressman Doug Lamborn, Congressman Scott Tipton, Congressman Ken Buck, Congressman Jason Crow, and Congressman Joe Neguse, to honor the life of Pat Bowlen, a beloved husband, father and long-time owner of the Denver Broncos. Pat is a household name for anyone who watches football. For over three decades, Pat made the city of Denver and the state of Colorado proud by demanding excellence in his team. ``I want to be No. 1 in everything'' Pat was famously known for saying. And, having brought home three Superbowl championships for Colorado, it's a motto he certainly lived by. During his tenure, the Broncos amassed over 300 wins, one of the highest marks for any one NFL team owner during the same amount of time. But his legacy stretches far beyond the field. Pat and his family often gave back to the community they loved. Pat was especially passionate about supporting the Boys and Girls Club of America--and since 2003, his generosity helped improve the lives of more than 15,000 teens living in the Denver metro area and around the state. Madam Speaker, Pat Bowlen lived a remarkable life and he will be missed. From ``The Drive'' to ``Tebow-mania'' to the Peyton Manning comeback story, Pat's impact on the Broncos will likely go unrivaled by anyone else. In 1998, when the Broncos won their first ever Superbowl, Pat turned to hoist the Lombardi trophy and declared, ``This one's for John.'' It was a simple phrase, but his tribute to the quarterback perfectly captured Pat's devotion to his team, and how he consistently lifted up his players and his community. So today, as members of Colorado's Congressional delegation, we wish to declare that ``this one's for Pat.'' We join with millions of Broncos fans around the country to thank him for the pride he brought to the team, the city of Denver, and our state. We offer our deepest condolences to the Bowlen family for their loss, and we hope that they find comfort in knowing how many Coloradans are so appreciative for Pat and his life's work.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the en bloc amendment and to offer my environmental justice amendment to H.R. 3055. This amendment would require that the EPA identify 100 communities across the country that are suffering from especially egregious violations of environmental law and clean them up. It would require the EPA to study what happens when communities experience multiple sources of pollution and then come up with better ways to protect them going forward. The amendment has one simple goal, to ensure that every American has clean air to breath, safe water to drink, and access to food that is free of toxins. While the goal may sound simple, the harsh reality is that we as a nation have been failing to provide these staples of life to too many communities for far too long. When we fail to protect our environment, it is often the poorest among us who suffer the most. When we allow pipes to become contaminated or when we allow companies to spew more toxins into the air, it is usually lower income communities and communities of color that get hurt the most. This amendment is for them. These communities include communities like Elyria Swansea and neighboring Globeville which are neighborhoods in the northern part of my district. The people in these communities experience a wide range of health problems on a daily basis, like throat irritation and watery eyes, which are likely linked to their constant exposure to a long list of toxins in the air. Whether it is hydrogen cyanide, whether it is other kinds of waste or smog-causing pollutants, these people suffer every day. Mr. Chairman, I urge the Members to support my amendment and let these communities be remedied.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Denver East High School on its first-place finish in the 2019 national finals of the `We the People' competition sponsored by the Center for Civic Education. The students and teachers of the Denver East High School team should feel exceptionally proud of this outstanding achievement. After winning the Colorado statewide `We the People' competition, Denver East High School traveled here to Washington, D.C. where they prevailed over the competition to bring home first-place. The students of the Denver East High School team demonstrated exceptional skill and character as they worked towards this well-deserved win. I know that the lessons learned, and knowledge gained through this experience will be invaluable to the students throughout their lives and future careers, no matter what path they take. Each year over 1,200 high school students from across the nation come together to learn about and debate the issues of the day. They participate in simulated congressional hearings, testifying as constitutional experts before panels of judges acting as congressional committees. Students demonstrate their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution as well as a variety of topics connected to our country's historical and political heritage. Robust civic education is the foundation of our democracy and is key to its future success. Informed citizenship in our youth is a primary factor of this future success. The students who participate in this competition inspire us all to be more informed citizens. Madam Speaker, I would like to give special recognition to the incredible teachers who led the Denver East High School team. Susan McHugh and Matt Fulford have provided vital mentorship and guidance to these students, and their work with this team is a testament to the quality of teachers we have in the Denver Public school system. The winning team included Sam Anderson, Grant Austin, Kennedy Austin, Jack Beardshear, Max Boubin, Rebecca Chapman, Hayden Christopher, Henry Fox, Jessica Freedberg, Aidan Glennie, Sophie Goldberg, Alexa Goldstein, Ethan Gutterman, Ben Hamik, Anja Hutson, Marco Jimenez, Aiden Kahn, Ballard Kauffman, Madison Moore, Maggie Morrison, Matthew Nekritz, Amelia Nugent, Maddie Parker, Isabella Sanderson, Abby Schuman, Lulu Scully, Ella Snyder, Kacey Tanner, Elena Thoman, and Walker Young. Congratulations to all, and we are all so proud of their wonderful accomplishment. I wish them continued success in all their future endeavors.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and achievements of Judge Wiley Daniel, the first African American judge appointed to the U.S. District Court for Colorado, who recently passed away on Friday, May 10, 2019. Judge Daniel was born in 1946 in Louisville, Kentucky and received his undergraduate and law degrees from Howard University in Washington, D.C. He spent six years in private practice in Detroit before moving to Denver in 1977 where he practiced law for 24 years with a specialty in civil litigation. In 1992, he rose to be the first--and only--African American president of the Colorado Bar Association. Three years later, President Bill Clinton appointed Mr. Daniel to the U.S. District Court for Colorado, becoming the first African American federal judge in the state. Thirteen years after Judge Daniel took the bench, he became chief judge of the court. Judge Daniel served admirably both inside and outside of the courtroom. He served as President of the Federal Judges Association, a national organization that supports hundreds of federal judges. He also taught courses in trial advocacy as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he mentored students. Additionally, from 1998 to 2003, Judge Daniel was a Trustee of the American Inns of Court Foundation, an organization which advocates for professionalism, ethics, civility and excellence throughout the legal profession. Until his final days, Judge Daniel was active in his church--Park Hill United Methodist in north Denver--where he served as a Deacon, sang in the choir and mentored young members. Judge Daniel believed that racial and gender diversity in the judiciary is important. Accordingly, he was active in the Delta Eta Boule fraternity, the nation's first African American professional organization. In fact, one of Daniel's passions was the fraternity's scholarship program, which helps young, bright African American students in the metro Denver area attend college. Judge Daniel retired in 2013 but continued to hear cases and guide younger lawyers. Not surprisingly, Judge Daniel's distinguished legal career and dedication to the community has been recognized many times with numerous awards and accolades. In 2006, Judge Daniel was honored with the American Inns of Court Foundation Professionalism Award for the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2012, he was inducted to the Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame due to his pioneering professional achievements. In 2013, Judge Daniel was awarded the King Trimble Lifetime Achievement Award by the Sam Cary Bar Association. In 2015, Judge Daniel was selected as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Center for Legal Inclusiveness in recognition of his lifelong commitment to diversity and inclusiveness within the legal profession. Finally, in 2018, the National Black Prosecutors Association presented Daniel with the Trailblazer Award. On May 10, 2019, at the age of 72, Judge Wiley Daniel passed away. He was one of the trailblazing Coloradoans whose hands have shaped the United States into the great nation it is today. He was principled, pragmatic, well-respected and beloved. That is why his legacy will live on for many decades to come. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, the Denver law community and all Coloradoans who mourn this terrible loss.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, it is a fundamental precept of our beautiful country that we have equality for all. But, sadly, in this Nation, we have not had equality for every person until now. Two-thirds of the LGBTQ community have faced discrimination, and this is simply wrong, and it is simply un-American. I thank Mr. Cicilline for bringing this important piece of legislation to the floor. How ironic that my LGBTQ constituents can get married to each other but still, in 29 States, can be discriminated against in their jobs, in public education, and even in their jury service. This is wrong; this is un-American; and today's bill, the Equality Act, rights this wrong that has been so long in coming. I congratulate everybody. I urge all of my colleagues to send a strong bipartisan statement: This is America; everybody has equal rights in all areas.