Paul Gosar

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. That is right.

Mr. GOSAR. The gentleman brings up a great point, along with the former chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, not only in the grazing application but in the stewardship of our natural resources called our forests, dynamic forests. Instead of being victims of these catastrophic wildfires that put so much of the emissions and pollution into the air, we then relegate it, so when we do have fires, it is relegated to low-level type fires that are not as devastating and catastrophic. I want to bring up one other point. Included in the Paris Agreement was the creation of a slush fund called the Green Climate Fund, which the Obama administration unconstitutionally utilized to shift $1 billion in taxpayer funds without authorization from Congress. Once again, we were imposed upon by having the money, Uncle Sam Warbucks. The Green Climate Fund was a goal of raising $100 billion a year through voluntary contributions from countries that signed the Paris Agreement. While developed countries are expected to finance their respective agreements under the Paris Agreement, the Green Climate Fund aims to subsidize the agreements of developing countries that cannot afford the commitments they made when signing the Paris Agreement. In fact, since the United States ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992, the United States has given hundreds of millions of dollars to developing countries to help them mitigate climate change. Amazing. We know that much of the money we have given over the years has gone to some of the most corrupt countries in the world. My question is, how can we rely on these countries to spend the money properly? When you look, for example, in 2014, the top recipients for climate funds all received failing grades in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. Amazing. What has been the return on investment for the money that we were giving to these countries? It is nice to be able to fund this, but what are the results? What are we getting from that?

Mr. GOSAR. The gentleman brings up that when we look at coal, the separation of rare earths, that is the technology that is so important. This is the technology that is driving this renaissance of technology in our country, that plethora of energy where we can geopolitically decide to help other countries become more independent, away from China's and from Russia's jurisdiction. The entrepreneurial spirit is bred with having energy independence. This H.R. 9 kills jobs. I also want to bring up to the gentleman, with technology, there is another technology at the same time that takes up pulverized coal and infuses it into oil. When they burn it, they get a 50 percent additional Btu factor and a cleaner burning application, once again reducing the carbon footprint. Once again, talking about new technologies is what saves us. It is that entrepreneurial spirit making things better. The infusion of new technology helps us get an advancement of cleaner technology.

Mr. GOSAR. The facts are that carbon emissions from the developing countries have gone up. We know that much of the money was not used to reduce carbon emissions. Once again, we are not solving it. It is clear that H.R. 9, that is what it will do. It will put the country back on the road to job losses, higher electric bills, and more government regulations while wasting significant amounts of taxpayer money in the process. We become victims in this economy. We should be leading the way. Freedom comes with technology and opportunity, and that is what the American people want. This is something where we should show the way by leadership, by saying: Listen, follow us by the way that we do things. That seems like a better approach, doesn't it, to the gentleman from Virginia?

Mr. GOSAR. Right, the carrot versus the whip. What you are looking at is the opportunity for solutions, that incentivization to find a new opportunity. I think that is the value. We are protecting 6.5 million jobs here. It scraps the unconstitutional application of the treaty, and it ensures safe, reliable, affordable energy. Everybody has to have energy. When we start looking at this Paris accord, it is accomplished in so many different ways that H.R. 9 is not something that is a valid or constitutional agreement.

Mr. GOSAR. Russia.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Idaho for those remarks. You can see where this is going. The right way is not this Paris accord, but through technology and through innovation. Mr. Speaker, a point that has been brought up multiple times by my colleagues is how the Paris Agreement is a direct violation of our Nation's sovereignty. I could not agree more. Article II, section 2 of the Constitution states that the President ``shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur.'' President Obama took unilateral action when he signed the Paris Agreement back in 2015 and failed to consult Congress. There were no committee hearings leading up to the adoption of the agreement and no vote was held by the Senate, as mandated by our Constitution. Members on the other side will say that the Paris Agreement does not constitute a treaty. But when the Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on this very bill, every witness believed the agreement was a treaty. This included multiple Democratic witnesses. The practice of avoiding congressional approval was nothing new for the Obama administration when it came to natural resources and energy policy. Fortunately, Members will have a chance to correct this unconstitutional action by voting for my amendment that was made in order this week instructing the Senate to take a vote as to whether the Paris Agreement is a treaty or not. Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith), my good friend. He has some background on this information.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, to the Member, to the gentleman, we are also getting another benefit because the catastrophic wildfires that we are seeing out West are a contributor. There is more carbon and pollution that occurs during these catastrophic wildfires in one day than in a year of exhaust from cars. What we do is we get a benefit there because we have a much more dynamic forest, much more dynamic interfaces. The fires are smaller. They are not as catastrophic, so we don't go further in debt. This is something that the Natural Resources Committee has been pushing under Mr. Bishop's watch, and I thank the gentleman. There is plenty of benefit in regard to understanding the natural cycle of plants and trees.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I also want to bring up the point that the Western Caucus was dynamic in going to Houston to see Petra Nova in Texas. It is the only carbon sequestration coal plant in the United States, one of only two in the world. Basically, what they do is they capture the carbon sequestration and pressurize it into pipes. They pipe it down to their oil fields. Once they frack the oil fields, they take this pressurized carbon and force it into the oil field. What it does is it forces out the rest of the gas and oil with it that is still remaining and then solidifies in the ground. What amazing technology. Once again, going back to the whole application that technology, innovation, the private sector is right there to answer the call. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa). Mr. LaMalfa knows firsthand the negative effects that policies like H.R. 9 can have, given the proposals that have gone into effect in California.

Mr. GOSAR. Absolutely. The one road initiative. They are taking and leveraging resources across the world and, at the same time, being paid for it. And I dare you not keep up with your payments because it rescinds right back to them. Going back to your first point, the gentleman from Virginia, what you are telling me is that this body will have that opportunity, with my amendment, to get this right, instructing the Senate to take a vote on the Paris accord to actually see if it can become a treaty, would you agree?

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Fulcher). With his background in the technology industry, he knows firsthand how businesses in his district and across the country are already innovating and helping to reduce our carbon emissions.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to lead a Western Caucus Special Order to voice our vehement opposition to H.R. 9, which aims to prevent President Trump from withdrawing from the fundamentally flawed Paris Agreement. In 2015, more than 170 countries signed a nonbinding agreement at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris. While most countries set a target reduction of carbon emissions below its 2005 level, the Obama administration sought to dramatically reduce the United States' carbon emissions by between 26 and 28 percent below its 2005 level by 2025. Before I proceed any further, I yield to my good friend, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs). He is a tireless advocate for small businesses in his district, many of whom have been harmed by this type of legislation.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of my Special Order.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Biggs for his comments. H.R. 9 seeks to mandate implementations of those same technically implausible and unrealistic emissions goals in order to appease extremists. The bill also seeks to prevent Federal funds from being used to withdraw from the flawed Paris Agreement. Americans for Tax Reform estimates the Paris Agreement will cost the U.S. an estimated 6.5 million jobs by 2040 and reduce our gross domestic product by over $2.5 trillion. NERA Consulting estimates those numbers are even higher and that the Paris Agreement will cost the U.S. an estimated 31.6 million jobs by 2040 and reduce our GDP by over $3 trillion. In June of 2017, President Trump announced he will withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, stating: ``The Paris climate accord is simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the United States to the exclusive benefit of other countries, leaving the American workers and taxpayers to absorb the costs in terms of lost jobs, lower wages, shuttering factories, and vastly diminishing economic production.'' There are other significant flaws of the Paris Agreement. MIT found the Paris Agreement will only result in a global temperature reduction of 0.2 degrees Celsius by 2100. Under the Paris climate agreement, China and India will actually increase emissions until at least 2030. The Climate Action Tracker, a group of European research organizations, found that participating parties will not meet their commitments, and those are the goals of the Paris Agreement. The European Climate Action Network reported that no single country in Europe is performing sufficiently to meet Paris Agreement goals, and those that have been making the most progress on their promises did not make large commitments in the first place. A recent United Nations Emissions Gap report found all participating countries will have to at least triple their efforts in order to meet the Paris Agreement's basic goals. Given how unrealistic and illogical the Paris Agreement is, the U.S. should not inflict monumental harm on our economy chasing a white unicorn. Fortunately, there is an alternative. Members of the Western Caucus support personal responsibility, less government intervention in our daily lives, and freedom. They defend property rights and believe that private ownership of property is a fundamental right in America. Our vision encourages innovation and less burdensome mandates. Members of the caucus support local control and believe that stewardship of our environment and natural resources is best accomplished by empowering local stakeholders, not victimizing them. The people who depend on the land to provide security for their families and communities understand these resources best. States and municipalities are best suited to deal with local issues than the distant, out-of-touch Washington bureaucrats. The caucus seeks to promote access to our Nation's energy and resource potential while pursuing a truly all-of-the-above energy approach that aims to ensure the U.S. is a global energy leader. Our vision utilizes the current energy renaissance and the American energy dominant policies currently being implemented by the Trump administration. America's energy renaissance is the backbone of our economy; it is a story of freedom, prosperity, and opportunity. After decades of reliance on other countries to meet our energy needs, the U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that America will export more energy than it imports starting in 2020. We are no longer dependent on volatile foreign sources produced in Russia and Saudi Arabia. Recent innovations and technology improvements associated with hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have allowed shale resources previously deemed uneconomical to be developed and the main reason the U.S. was the world's leader in carbon emissions reductions in 2015, 2016, and 2017. That is right. Fracking, demonized by environmental extremists without justification, has proven to be the best energy solution for our environment. Abundant oil and natural gas have reduced electricity bills, kept gas prices low, and provided the largest share of U.S. electric power generation in recent years. The United States is the world's top energy producer, and the American Dream is thriving. Passing H.R. 9 and staying in the Paris Agreement threatens that dream. This is not a partisan issue. This is about doing what is right for America and about protecting freedom and opportunity for our children and grandchildren. I urge all Members on both sides of the aisle to reject H.R. 9. Now, with that, I yield to my friend from Utah (Mr. Bishop). As the Republican leader on the Natural Resources Committee and previously as its chairman, he has been one of the biggest leaders in promoting American energy dominance.

Mr. GOSAR. So, what you are really telling me is when you have good process, you build good policy, which builds good politics. It is kind of that simple, isn't it?

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Lori Markham for being chosen as Teacher of the Year by the Yavapai County Education Foundation. Lori is a first-grade teacher at Abia Judd Elementary School in Prescott, Arizona and she is a shining example of an educator who enriches and inspires the students she teaches. Lori is a proud graduate of Northern Arizona University and she is currently in her 24th year of teaching at Judd Elementary school. She has not only dedicated her life to educating her students, but also to bettering the education system in Yavapai County, serving on many district-level committees and as a mentor for new teachers. Recounting the reasons she became a teacher, Lori mentions she was lucky to have teachers dedicated to her success by not only being role models but parental figures and mentors. She has dedicated two decades inspiring hundreds of children to try hard and dream big. I thank Lori for working tirelessly to educate and uplift students, and I celebrate the impact she has had on her local community in Yavapai County and the entire state of Arizona.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor First Lieutenant Steve Reynolds, a 40-year member of the Navajo County Hashknife Sheriff's Posse. Reynolds has aided in rescue operations on horseback for decades and has been on 60 annual Hashknife Pony Express rides. This year, the Navajo County Sheriff's Hashknife Posse Board has decided to dedicate the 61st ride to Reynolds. Moving to Holbrook, Arizona with his father at a young age taught Reynolds the value of the hard work engrained in ``the cowboy lifestyle.'' He moved out of Holbrook to attend High School in Chandler, Arizona. After graduation he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and completed two tours in Vietnam before being wounded by an explosion that left him hospitalized for a year. Reynolds returned to Holbrook and became a deputy with Navajo County Sheriff's Office and a member of the Posse, and later a certified police officer with the state of Arizona. Reynolds' work with the Posse has led him to aid in rescue operations for decades, working during fires and floods, as well as a part of missing persons search teams. All members of the Posse are required to complete 40 hours of training that cover CPR, first aid, and search and rescue. Reynolds mentions that most mounted Posse organizations have disappeared due to lack of funds; fortunately Navajo County understands the contributions that the Posse has made in the community. The annual Pony Express is one of the biggest fund raisers used to keep the Posse afloat. Today Reynolds resides in Prescott, Arizona, where he spends time with his many grandchildren. The people of Arizona, but especially the people of Northern Arizona, will always be grateful for the selfless work of our veterans, especially the work of Steve Reynolds.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of David Bernhardt's nomination to be the next Secretary of the Interior. Members of the Western Caucus strongly support his nomination. David Bernhardt loves his country and has served her well as a model public servant for over 15 years. David has already been confirmed twice by the U.S. Senate, once to be the solicitor and the top legal mind of the country on these issues and the second time to be the Deputy Secretary. Just last week, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced his nomination by a strong bipartisan vote of 14-6. During his tenure with DOI, David has worked diligently to increase hunting and fishing access, ensure clean water for future generations, and empower local decisionmaking. David is a champion for sportsmen and rural communities. Mr. Bernhardt is the most qualified candidate we have ever had as the Secretary of the Interior. Simply put, David Bernhardt is the leader the Department and the American people deserve. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to vote tomorrow based on David's credentials, leadership, and principles. If that occurs, I have no doubt he will be confirmed with a strong bipartisan vote. Confirm Bernhardt.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable constituent of mine named Pat Farrell. Pat enlisted in the Navy in 1968, serving as Aviation Electronics Technician until 1971. Following the Navy, Pat worked for the U.S. Postal Service and as a Corrections Job Coordinator. Pat has dedicated a large portion of his life to working with homeless veterans. In 2013, 2014, and 2015 Pat took the lead overseeing the Tri-State Homeless Veterans StandDown in Bullhead City, Arizona where he assisted 750 homeless and at-risk veterans. Pat has been essential to the Homeless Veterans StandDown year after year. After a successful 2013 StandDown, he secured $10,300 in funding to organize the following year's event. Pat continues to give back to the veteran community by volunteering with the HUD & VA Supportive Veterans Housing Project and numerous other programs aimed at eradicating veteran's homelessness. Due to Pat's efforts, the VA Community Outpatient Clinic in Kingman, Arizona was also able to be built. Pat truly represents what it means to be selfless. The veterans of Mohave County and the state of Arizona are forever grateful for Pat's hard work. I commend him for his dedication to those who have served this country.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Madam Speaker, as we watch the human tragedy that is Venezuela, it should be a stark reminder to everyone that socialism does nothing but destroy the lives of the people while enriching the elites. A recent report out of Venezuela reminded me of a Milton Friedman quote. The famed economist said, ``If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years there'd be a shortage of sand.'' These are the words playing out in Venezuela right now. Venezuela has the world's largest proven reserves of oil, yet the socialists in charge cannot keep the lights on, nor supply the nation with gasoline for their vehicles. It gets worse for the people of Venezuela as there are now potable water shortages. Keep in mind, Venezuela has over 1,500 miles of coastline and part of the country is a rainforest. But the socialist rulers cannot seem to build desalination plants nor transport its vast water resources to the people that need it. Venezuela's current crisis reinforces my fight to make sure the United States has an all of the above energy grid. To function properly, a nation needs a variety of fuel sources, some renewables, some nuclear, some hydro, some carbon based. That is a reality for a mature economy and civilization. I fight against rabid environmentalists who want to shut down every coal plant, every gas plant, every nuclear plant and dismantle our dams and hydro power. They accuse of me of wanting to destroy the environment, which is a defamatory lie. What is apparent is the leftists in this country want to destroy our civilization, our affordable energy and our prosperity. They want to do to the United States what the same environmentalists and leftists have done to Venezuela--leave us without electricity, without food, without water, without communications. The emerging socialist movement in this country is an imminent risk of harm to everything that has made us the leader of the free world. The socialists in this country present a clear and present danger to our health and well-being and should be fought at every opportunity. Our fathers and grandfathers fought against socialists. They fought and died to make sure the United States remained free, capitalist and prosperous. Let the lessons of Venezuela, Cuba, the Soviet Union and other socialist countries that have failed miserably, and inflict death and harm to millions, teach us to promptly reject U.S. socialists and their harmful ideology, their useful idiocy, and their malevolence.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Lake Havasu City Veterans Treatment Court located in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. My district is home to 90,000 veterans and the Lake Havasu City Veterans Treatment Court has proven to be one of the most effective programs in improving the lives of our nation's veterans. The Lake Havasu City Veterans Treatment Court was awarded a SAMHSA grant of almost a million dollars over a three-year period, beginning in September 2017, one of four Veterans Treatment Courts in the country to receive this grant. The grant aims to benefit veterans who are participants of the Veterans Treatment Court and those who are ineligible to receive local VA treatment services. The grant also merged the Lake Havasu City and Kingman Veterans Treatment Courts in order to benefit all the veterans of Mohave County. The success of the program speaks for itself. Over a five year period, the program has only experienced a 6.5 percent recidivism rate amongst graduates. When the graduates were asked what they felt was most helpful in the program, 87.5 percent of graduates felt it was their positive interaction with the judge, 73.6 percent felt it was their community service. I want to especially commend Judge Mitchell Kalauli, Veterans Treatment Court Coordinator Colene Lowery, and Court Administrator Jennifer Harrold for their incredible work in leading this program. They truly represent what is great about this country and the state of Arizona. The veterans of Mohave County and the entire state of Arizona are incredibly grateful for their hard work.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, it absolutely would be correct.

Mr. GOSAR. Absolutely. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. In fact, the gentleman brings up a great point. There is an article by Michael Shellenberger and it is, ``Why Renewables Can't Save the Planet.'' In this discussion--it is a wonderful article; it is in Quillette--he talks about renewable energy, particularly solar and wind. They are low density. They don't have what they call basal power. They only produce when the sun is shining and when the wind is blowing. So you need batteries. And as he states so eloquently here, the new renaissance for batteries isn't coming any time soon. In fact, we see many of the same people who propose the Green New Deal are obstinate in trying to allow mining for these critical and rare earths that are required for battery development. In fact, over 90 percent of the world's market for critical minerals--or these rare earths--are dictated by China. So they are not going to come any time soon. And then, let's talk about the ecological damage. In fact, wind is the largest destroyer of large birds. Now, small, little birds, cats will take care of, but what ends up happening, raptors--like condors and eagles and hawks--are the ones who are killed most often by these big rotary blades or turbines that turn. These are the birds that are most at peril right now in our world. So once again, we are dooming the future because we are predominating selection to the government, and that is a sad thing.

Mr. GOSAR. Well, photosynthesis; this is the key component of cellular growth in plants. They take carbon dioxide; they take dirty water; they have sunlight, and it produces oxygen and clean water. That is what we actually get with photosynthesis.