Cresent Hardy

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Chairman, I now ask how much time I have remaining.

Mr. HARDY. I yield 1 minute to my distinguished colleague from Utah (Mr. Bishop).

Mr. HARDY. How much time remains, Mr. Chairman?

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Chairman, in closing, I would just like to reiterate to my colleagues that voting for this amendment is a vote for empowering the communities and the local stakeholders most affected by the monument designations. Doing so will increase transparency, allow local input, and provide improved management of our public lands. It will fulfill the responsibility to ensure these communities have a legitimate voice in the process. I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, we live in America, a nation conceived in liberty and consecrated by the service and sacrifice of our military men and women. Veterans throughout the country depend on our integrity to keep our promises. We promise to care for their health after they come home from battle; and yet, too often, we delay making good on the promise. Specifically, why have veterans of Pahrump, Nevada, had the promise of a new clinic dangled over their heads for years? Construction was finally approved nearly 1 year ago, and the ground remains unbroken. Later today, the VA is holding a town hall in Pahrump. My staff will be there to hear the latest updates. I hope they will finally have something to tell the veterans there other than what they have shared with me. Something is very wrong with the VA right now. My advocacy for the veterans of my district, especially those who need better and more accessible health care now, will not cease. Let's not leave our veterans with more unmet promises. We can do better for the more than 8,000 veterans of Nye County, Nevada.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of long-term highway funding. I will support the bill on the floor today, but let's be clear. This is a long-term problem that needs to have a long-term solution. We gather in hearings and we gather in meetings to discuss the various options we have for revenue. We now have to gather to make a decision, the long-term decision. We were elected to Congress to represent our constituents and to make difficult decisions that will help us guide our Nation forward. It is time for us to accelerate and produce a solution to our highway funding problems. Our highways and our bridges are falling into disrepair. Before I became involved in public service, I was a contractor in Nevada where I worked on roads, bridges, and dams. I know the wear and tear that our infrastructure is experiencing. I know the uncertainty that States are facing when it comes to highway projects. Our inaction has created a difficult environment for the States to make decisions. So I stand here today to support long-term funding. It is a long-term problem that requires a long-term solution.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Chairman, my amendment was inspired by the Obama administration's proposal to establish a national monument in the Basin and Range area of Nevada, directly under the airspace of the Nevada Test and Training Range. My amendment is not about disputing land ownership. My amendment is about protecting America's national security, and that means ensuring that our military has guaranteed access to land located beneath--or associated with--military operations areas for essential training and readiness activities. These activities are often tied directly to flight operations and can include anything from tactical ground parties, SERE, pararescue training, ground instrumentation maintenance, and the list goes on and on. My amendment elevates national security above politics and legacy projects, and it gives our military the certainty it needs to adequately train and prepare for current and future conflicts.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address an issue that has hampered the growth and prosperity for both individuals and businesses. Our economy continues to struggle. Our Tax Code shouldn't be working against us. Each year, hard-working Americans have to navigate the Internal Revenue Code, which stands at tens of thousands of pages. Moreover, the agency charged with collecting taxes from Americans has been scrutinizing and delaying critical paperwork for conservative groups. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to advance the conversation surrounding the comprehensive tax reform. From the individual Code to the corporate tax system, reform needs to result in a fairer, flatter system that works for Americans and their businesses, not against them. As we labor through another tax day, it is a reminder, Mr. Speaker, that we haven't addressed the Code in close to 30 years. We have the ability to tackle the Tax Code only if we are willing to make hard decisions.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor a great legend in the Nevada State Assembly today. Elected in 2004, Assemblyman Harvey Munford (D-Las Vegas), broke boundaries with a storied career in Nevada. Standing 6 feet, 8 inches, Harvey was destined to be on the basketball court. While being the first black man to attend and graduate from Montana State University at Billings, he laced up his shoes and hit the hardwood quickly becoming an All-American in the sport. After a record setting career in college, Harvey was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers only to be sidelined permanently from the game with a knee injury. Turning to the classroom, Harvey settled in and became a towering presence in lives of students for over 36 years teaching at both the high school and community college level. After retiring from teaching, he turned his attention to the Statehouse and decided to become an opposing figure in the Assembly. Bringing his non- stop work ethic to debates, I quickly respected and enjoyed being around Harvey. That is why Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Harvey Munford today for a storied career in public service representing Nevada residents.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate and honor the current Minority Leader in the Nevada State Assembly, Marilyn Kirkpatrick (D-North Las Vegas) for her service to the citizens of the Battle Born State. I consider Marilyn both a colleague and a friend. She has served nobly since first being elected in November of 2004. Through a tenacious work ethic and a strong ability to get things done, Marilyn rose to a leadership position and was elected by her colleagues as Speaker of the Nevada State Assembly from 2013-2014 in a chamber that was often filled with heated debates and battles. Marilyn and I frequently had inspiring discussions, and at the end of the day, I respect her prowess for policy and I stand here today recognizing her for her many accomplishments. While juggling various Assembly commitments, Marilyn continued to serve as a mentor and a leader to her Girl Scouts of America. I seriously don't know how she could multitask on so many important issues, both inside the Statehouse and outside of the Statehouse. It was truly inspiring to observe Marilyn as she guided young Members with her wealth of institutional knowledge. Mr. Speaker, I commend Marilyn on her service to Nevada and wish her the best of luck on her next endeavors.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Women's History Month, which we celebrate as a nation each March, and to pay respect to those women across the generations who have been trailblazers in so many ways, including in our military. In 1944, one such remarkable woman was blazing trails in the skies over what is now Nellis Air Force Base, which is in my district. Betty Wall, whom I had the opportunity to speak to yesterday, was one of those Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II. When a skeptical male pilot would climb into her aircraft for training, she treated him to an introductory flight he would never forget. As she put the aircraft through its incredible combat maneuvers, the guy in the backseat had no choice but to marvel at her skill and expertise, on par with the men who were allowed to go into combat. In 2010, Ms. Wall and her fellow WASPs received the well-deserved honor of the Congressional Gold Medal. Now, decades later, she has been followed by many other female pilots who continue to break barriers and lead the way. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I call on us as a nation to pay tribute to these amazing women during the month of March.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on a bill that I have just introduced, my first as a Member of this body. The Land Acquisition to cut the National Debt, or LAND Act, is a commonsense piece of legislation that would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from using Federal dollars to purchase land, resulting in a net increase in acreage under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and the Bureau of Land Management, unless the Federal budget is balanced for the year in which the land would be purchased. The same would go for the Secretary of Agriculture. Unless the Federal budget for the given year is balanced, no net increase in the land acreage may be included in the National Forest system. Now, Mr. Speaker, some in this body may wonder why I have chosen to take up this charge in the 114th Congress. For my friends on both sides of the aisle, many of whom may not be too familiar with life out West, let me give you some background. Just before I arrived in Washington, the national debt was over $18 trillion. As a former small business owner, the Federal Government's spendthrift habits and utter disregard for the American taxpayer's hard-earned dollars continues to frustrate me today. Like countless Nevadans, it pains me to watch as we saddle our grandchildren with such an unsustainable debt burden, borrowing against the very future we are responsible for providing them. Now, Mr. Speaker, my father always said: Don't come to me with a problem unless you have a solution to fix it. I don't pretend to have all the answers on the biggest issues facing this government and this country, but I do bring the private sector, Western sensibility to tackling the problem before we get too far out of hand. That is why I am introducing the LAND Act. Simply put, the bill tells the Federal Government that responsibly and efficiently managing the 640 million acres of land it already controls must be a higher priority than acquiring even more private, State, and tribal lands. Think about that number for a moment, Mr. Speaker: 640 million acres. That is roughly one-third of the United States. And on those acres that the Federal bureaucracy has kept within its iron grip, there is currently existing an estimated deferred maintenance backlog of $23 billion--that is with a B. So what does that tell the American people, Mr. Speaker? It tells them that the Federal Government has bitten off more than it can chew, and it cannot be trusted to serve as a responsible steward of even more of our lands and resources. Mr. Speaker, I am a Nevadan. The Federal Government controls more than 81 percent of my State, and I think I speak for most of my constituents when I say enough is enough. It boggles the mind to think that each of the 640 million acres the Federal Government controls is too valuable to be parted with in order to improve overall management, let alone the fact that the Feds want to acquire even more land on top of an already embarrassing maintenance backlog. The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture like to tout how important land acquisition is for conserving species, providing spaces for recreation, and preserving culturally significant sites. My bill would allow them to continue to acquire land as a tool for these purposes, but it would require them to focus their efforts on lands that truly need oversight by turning over unnecessary land to those who are best able to manage it--the States. Mr. Speaker, let's be clear. The Department would have the opportunity to net more acreage under the aforementioned agencies' jurisdictions under my bill. That is, so long as the Federal budget is balanced for the given year. I do not believe this is too much to ask. Where I come from, in the private sector, if you don't have a successful business plan and you don't budget well, you go out of business. We all know that the BLM, Fish and Wildlife, and the Park Service aren't going out of business anytime soon, much to my chagrin, but at least we can force them to behave more like one on the land they currently control by ensuring that our tax dollars no longer go towards more land for these agencies. At a time when our debt continues to soar, we can ill afford irresponsible budgets like the Interior's $13 billion request. We need to get our fiscal house in order, and we can help that process along by passing my bill. Let's allow State, local, and tribal governments to invest in developing their lands, creating jobs, and growing the economy instead of letting them fall in disrepair on the Federal Government's watch. Let's pass the LAND Act.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today as a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to support this bill. I believe it will bring efficiency, savings, and greater transparency to Amtrak. Instead of increasing government interference, this bill will actually create development opportunities for the private sector and encourage non-Federal participation by unlocking new revenue streams. This bill is common sense and straightforward. It reduces red tape by streamlining environmental issues. As a former small business owner, it makes perfect sense to me that we direct Amtrak to target investments where there is the best potential for success and conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis for long distance routes. Finally, I am excited to further empower States to have a greater role in managing their routes. States must be equal partners with a greater say in ensuring that the residents--Amtrak passengers--get the best benefit. That is why, Mr. Chairman, I stand in support of this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. HARDY

Mr. HARDY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to voice my support for this bipartisan effort to ensure that small businesses and their employees are not overburdened by regulations. As a former business owner, I know how government intrusion and overregulation can increase costs, decrease efficiency, and ultimately harm hardworking individuals and their families. These taxpayers deserve a responsive government that is efficient, effective, and accountable to them. As we fight for an environment more favorable to job creation, Federal agencies cannot be allowed to bypass their obligation to measure the direct and indirect economic effects regulations have on businesses. Ultimately, these businesses--the economic engines of our communities--should have the freedom to pursue safe, responsible opportunities unhampered by burdensome rulemaking and red tape. As a result, communities and businesses, like those represented by the Nevada Manufacturers Association, will thrive. That is why, Mr. Chairman, I stand alongside my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to cosponsor this bill.