Raúl Grijalva

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlelady from New York, Representative Velazquez, the ranking member of the Small Business Committee, the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. GRIJALVA. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the county of Carlton, Minnesota, have proposed a land exchange involving 1,451 acres of tribal fee land located outside the Band's reservation. Those lands would be exchanged for tax-forfeited State lands of equivalent value that are administered by Carlton County but located within the Band's reservation. H.R. 2650 would authorize the land exchange and would allow future land exchanges between the county and the Band which have been identified as candidates for similar land exchanges. I support H.R. 2650 and urge its passage by the House today. Representative Nolan is to be commended for his leadership and persistence on behalf of his constituents and his district. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan), the sponsor of the legislation.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. H.R. 1241 would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to accept lands outside the boundaries of the Inyo National Forest in the Eastern Sierra in exchange for non-Federal lands desirable for the National Forest System purposes. If completed, the land exchange could result in significant revenue for the Federal Government. The bill has bipartisan support, including the Department of Agriculture. I urge its passage in the House, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Tucson High Magnet School's teacher, Art Almquist, as being named Teacher of the Year by People Magazine. For the past 17 years, Mr. Almquist has been Tucson Magnet's drama teacher. He has built a phenomenal theater program rarely seen on any high school level. His programs and plays have won numerous awards from universities, as well as regularly being named one of the best high school theaters in America by the American High School Theater Festival. Mr. Almquist is known for staging productions on topics such as AIDS, environmental activism, and immigration. He believes the theater offers each student an opportunity to learn new skills and enhance his skills. As an educator, he has influenced thousands of students to pursue a career that both challenges them, but also brings them joy. I give my most sincere thanks and congratulations to Mr. Art Almquist for representing Tucson as a leader in the field of education. Mr. Almquist exemplifies how a role model can effect change and educate the next generation.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2337 conveys the approximately 40- acre Forest Service Lake Hill administrative site in the White River National Forest to Summit County, Colorado. The Forest Service has established that the site has lost its national forest character and is severed from the rest of the White River National Forest. Summit County will use the site to construct workforce housing, a need identified by the county. Summit County will cover all costs associated with the conveyance, and the Forest Service will be able to use any proceeds to address regional forest management issues. H.R. 2337 is a great example of the Federal government working with local governments to identify and solve common problems. Congressman Polis is to be commended for his leadership in addressing the needs of his constituents using a commonsense, practical solution. We support the legislation and urge its passage.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2640, as my colleague described, does several things, including providing water and economic certainty to the City of Prineville and the Ochoco Irrigation District. The legislation also outlines how reclamation is to operate and manage the Prineville Reservoir through the first fill provision and removes some flexibility on reclamation's part to mitigate and adapt to changing conditions. We do not fully support the first fill provision but understand that there are ongoing negotiations that look at providing the certainty that the city needs while protecting the environment. Stakeholder- driven processes are the best way to address local needs. We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate and on the other side of the aisle to ensure that all of the needs are met and protected. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium was established in 1997 to provide health services to Alaska Natives. Based in Anchorage, the consortium now serves over 130,000 patients from all over the State. H.R. 623 conveys 2.79 acres of Federal land in Anchorage, Alaska, to the consortium. The parcel will be used to construct patient housing for visiting patients, allowing continued growth so that the Anchorage facilities can meet the health care needs of more and more people from rural Alaska. Some patients travel long distances to access health care facilities in Anchorage. H.R. 623 helps ensure that traveling patients are not burdened with finding their own accommodations. This is an important component of making sure that all Native Alaskans have access to equitable health care. I am happy to report that the Indian Health Service transferred the parcel in question by quitclaim deed on June 20 of this year. While the consortium is now able to start planning and preparation for patient housing, H.R. 623 transfers the parcel to the consortium by warranty deed. This removes future complications and guarantees there will be no hiccups in the development of additional patient housing at the Anchorage site. We support H.R. 623 and urge its passage by the House today. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GRIJALVA. H.R. 330, designates the memorial at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California, as the Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial. The memorial to recipients of the U.S. Air Force's Distinguished Flying Cross was dedicated on October 27, 2010, and since then, it stands as a proud symbol of remembrance and honor for all members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have demonstrated heroism or extraordinary achievement. The Distinguished Flying Cross is the oldest military award for aviation, but there is no national memorial to recognize the sacrifice and commitment of these brave men and women. We support H.R. 330 and urge its passage by the House today. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Riverside, California (Mr. Takano), an original sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 14th Annual Community Mental Health Arts Show, being held October 8-10, 2013, during Mental Illness Awareness Week Congress established Mental Illness Awareness Week in 1990 to educate and increase awareness about mental illness. In Tucson, Arizona, the Community Partnership of Southern Arizona (CPSA) has proudly organized the Annual Community Mental Health Arts Show as part of Mental Illness Awareness Week for 14 years. The Arts Show, which is free of charge and open to the public, features the artwork of children and adults receiving behavioral health services, and individuals employed in the behavioral health system. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 50 percent of adults will experience a mental illness in their lifetime and that one in five children are living with a mental illness. In addition, 23 million Americans are facing the challenges of substance abuse. Countless findings confirm that mental health has a significant economic and societal impact. Mental health conditions are the second leading cause of workplace absenteeism, costing the U.S. economy $79 billion annually in lost productivity. Substance abuse can spread infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, substance abuse has a proven link to high crime rates, increased court costs, and overcrowded prisons. Recovery programs integrating holistic therapies are respected for creating the most meaningful and sustainable outcomes. Providing an opportunity to create and showcase visual art fosters peer support, builds confidence, and reduces the intensity of symptoms, while providing a safe and supportive environment for adults and children who are recovering from a mental illness or substance abuse issues. The Arts Show also promotes mental health education, generates awareness and helps diminish stigma. Effective mental health treatment and prevention benefits the community as a whole. On average, every $1 spent on taxpayer-funded substance abuse treatment yields a $7 return in reduced costs of crime and increased, taxable employment earnings. Mental health treatment and prevention increases health and wellness, reduces medical costs, and has a positive effect on overall productivity, which benefits individuals, families and communities As the Regional Behavioral Health Authority for Pima County, Arizona, CPSA is dedicated to ensuring that individuals and families receive accessible, high-quality behavioral health services that are member and family driven, recovery oriented, respectful of cultural differences, and foster hope and self-determination. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mental Illness Awareness Week and the 14th Annual Community Mental Health Arts Show.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me, if I may, talk a little bit about the proponent's claim that H.R. 687 will boost the U.S. economy. The copper will likely benefit China more than the United States. Nine percent of the parent company of Resolution Copper, Rio Tinto, is owned by the state-controlled Aluminum Corporation of China. Rio Tinto has a long-established partnership to supply copper to China--they repeatedly stated--and at a hearing refused to say what percentage of the copper generated from Federal lands would be retained and processed in the United States. They will continue to market and supply their mine copper and other ores to meet the greatest needs. At this point, Rio Tinto's own international copper study group forecast a 377-ton global shortage this year alone, driven not by U.S. demand but by that of China. The bill does not even require that the ore extracted from this mine be processed in the United States, much less marketed or sold here. Our time and our focus should be on supporting U.S. industries maintaining jobs. We should not trade away billions and billions of dollars and tonnage of copper to supply China's ever-growing need. I also would like to point out another issue that my friend, Congressman Kildee, pointed out. At one point, we continued a very important inquiry that has not been finalized or formalized, and that is the parent company is in violation of the resolution by this Congress and by previous Congresses on sanctions against Iran because of their development of potential weapons, nuclear weapons. Any company doing business with Iran was not to be able to do business with the United States. Rio Tinto co-manages in partnership a mine--a uranium mine of all things--in Namibia in Africa. I think that merits we look into it before we are in violation of our own resolution and, more importantly, that we are not violating a resolution that we passed. It is an issue of asking Commerce and Treasury, who are responsible for that sanction enforcement, to do so. I think it would satisfy many of us to know the results of that, and it would satisfy the American people to know that their resource, a shared taxpayer resource, copper on Federal land, is not in violation of a sanctions resolution by this Congress against Iran. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise to oppose H.R. 687. At a time when the majority in this Congress has brought our Nation to the brink of potential shutdown, a looming hardship and economic crisis with regard to the debt ceiling, no progress on the jobs plan, no progress on immigration reform, here we are today, debating a sweetheart piece of legislation that hurts taxpayers and comforts, yes, foreign multinational mining corporations. One has to wonder about what the priorities for this Congress really are. We have seen at least five different versions of this legislation over the past 10 years. Originally filed in the 109th Congress as H.R. 2681, sponsored by our former colleague from Arizona, Congressman Renzi, that version begat H.R. 3301 in the 110th Congress by our colleague, Congressman Pastor. That begat H.R. 2509 in the 111th Congress by Congresswoman Kirkpatrick. And then that begat the version in the 112th Congress, H.R. 1904, by my friend from Arizona, Congressman Gosar, which begat this present version, H.R. 687 in the 113th, again sponsored by my colleague, Mr. Gosar. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, we all might need to spend some time getting our heads examined. H.R. 687 facilitates a land exchange so that a subsidiary of two foreign-owned mining companies can build a massive block cave copper mine on Federal land set aside by President Eisenhower for recreation in 1955. The town of Superior has been torn apart by this legislation. The city attorney issued a legal opinion that section 9 of this bill, which was stripped during the markup process, was not something legally the town could approve. The opinion raised grave concerns about the financial obligations the town would be under if they accepted the arrangement with Resolution Copper as written. The town was willing to negotiate with Resolution Copper, but the company demanded support for the legislation as a precondition to any further talks. They also stated rather flatly that there would be no additional money coming to Superior from Resolution Copper from these negotiations. Resolution Copper continues to oppose any requirement of filing a mining plan of operation before this legislation is passed. It's been 10 years since this project was proposed--and we still have no mining plan. This community has been driven by boom-and-bust promises of mining companies for decades. Retired miners have become accustomed to losing the pensions that they earned in contract negotiations from mining corporations, especially when dealing with foreign entities. This is not an economic miracle waiting to happen. Even if the town were to reverse its position, the legal and political issues that have already been raised cannot be ignored. The town, climbing and environmental organizations and Native American nations will be severely impacted by this trade, particularly when the mine is built. Resolution Copper, after 10 years of pushing and pushing, has yet to acknowledge those impacts. There are just too many unanswered questions and shortcuts. Opposition to this bill from the community that it will impact the most is a clear indication that the process needs to start over, but Superior's withdrawal of support is just one of many red flags. All Native American nations in Arizona overwhelmingly oppose the bill. The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona and the National Congress of American Indians have both passed resolutions in opposition. Their strong opposition stems from the outright violation of the consultation protocol that mandates advanced, informed, and appropriate government- to-government consultation with Indian tribes, nations, and communities. H.R. 687 trades away Federal lands that contain significant cultural resources without complying with NEPA. This means that there will be no environmental review or formal consultation with affiliated tribal governments before the land becomes private property. The sponsor's insistence to postpone environmental review until after the land exchange is one of the main reasons local support for this bill has eroded. Once the land is exchanged, as mandated by the bill, there is no guarantee a full EIS under NEPA will occur. That means no independent hydrology study to assess the impacts to local water resources. That means no mining plan of operation and independent jobs and economics report. That means no objective appraisal of the lands to be exchanged. We're stuck relying on the company's numbers to guesstimate the value added for the American taxpayer. That doesn't seem like a good deal to me, no matter what way you look at it. I was astounded that the majority decided to shield the company from testifying at the hearing held on this bill. We all would have benefited greatly from the ability to hear from Resolution Copper on the record about their support for the bill, the validity of their economic study, the lack of a mining plan of operations, the lack of an independent hydrology study associated with a real mining plan of operations, and the negligent disregard for NEPA standards and Native American tribal consultation processes. How is the House expected to make an informed decision on this deeply controversial bill when the committee of jurisdiction didn't even bother to question the owners and proponents, Resolution Copper? This doesn't make sense to me and to a great deal of people. All we know about the proposed mine is purely speculative and comes from data and reports produced by Resolution Copper, itself. And the common refrain from supporters to trust without validation--don't worry, it will all work out--those are not the due diligence requirements that this Congress has on a major land exchange as we are facing today. The number of jobs they claim the project will create is a moving target. The number is always changing. At one point, the company claimed the mine would create 5,000 jobs. The last estimate on their Web site project the mine will support 1,400 direct jobs through the life of the mine. Again, these numbers come from a study conducted by Resolution Copper and are not supported by a mining plan of operation. Until we have a plan, there is really no way to know. The numbers tossed around by the majority come from a study that assume the mine would produce the same amount of copper and support the same amount of jobs year after year for its entire 50-year life span. We know this won't be the case. Mining operations react to market demand. One number not tossed around by the proponents of H.R. 687 is royalties for the extraction of this very valuable mineral on Federal land, royalties to deal with remediation, to deal with any mitigation likely to occur after the fact, and to deal with some level of return to the American taxpayer. The boom and bust cycles of mining's history can't be washed away with a public relations document masquerading as an economic study that assumes the very best and brushes aside any reality. Construction of this mine will benefit two large foreign corporations. It will not diversify the local economy or even guarantee any real jobs for the local people in the area. It will, on the other hand, diminish the recreation value of the area, jeopardize the availability of water, and threaten a sacred site, all for cents on the dollar. H.R. 687 is not in the best interest of the American taxpayer, and I urge my colleagues to oppose this reckless, expedited land exchange. A wolf in sheep's clothing, regardless, is still a wolf. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Dr. Arthur N. Martinez for his leadership of 20 years to El Rio Community Health Center, in Tucson, Arizona, one of the biggest community health centers in the Nation. Dr. Martinez's personal outreach and accomplishments have been instrumental to Arizona. Dr. Martinez has worked diligently to improve the quality of health care to the underserved in the community. Dr. Martinez obtained his BS and MD from the University of Arizona in Tucson. He completed his occupational medicine residency at the University of AZ after a general surgery internship and urology residency at the University of TX. Dr. Martinez began as a staff physician at El Rio in 1986. After obtaining his MS in Health Administration from the University of CO, he became the Medical Director of a Medicaid HMO in CA. He has been the Medical Director at El Rio since 1993. Through his leadership, he has developed systems for El Rio Community Health Center that have rightfully gained national attention. Some of his early accomplishments include a 360 degree provider evaluation system and a physician productivity incentive system. Early in his tenure, he was a quality accreditation expert who assisted other health centers to successfully implement measures to improve quality of care for millions of Americans. Among his numerous other contributions Dr. Martinez has: created a nationally recognized Clinical Pharmacy Program, developed a residency program from a teaching health center collaboration, integrated oral and behavioral health into El Rio's model, developed a Patient Care Committee and assisted the formation of the health center pain program, integrated the only community birthing center into El Rio's programs, chaired the first HRSA National Clinical Pharmacy Collaborative and served as chairman of the board for AZ Connected Care (Tucson's first Accountable Care Organization). His contributions to the well-being of the community have been recognized through his many service and civic awards including: the LULAC Presidential Citation, the FBI Community Service award, the NAACP Community Service Award, the Rosa Parks Community Service Award. Today I honor Dr. Arthur Martinez for his dedicated and faithful service of 20 years to El Rio CHC, Tucson and the Pima County, Arizona, community. May his example provide a path for others to follow.