Doug Lamborn

Mr. LAMBORN

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

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to just build on what my colleague was saying about the rest of his bills. On this one, there is strong collaboration and consensus. I look forward to working with him to pass it. I will make an offer on the rest of his bills. If he lets me help him write them, I bet we could get them to the floor sooner. In all seriousness, the Rocky Mountain National Park is a crown jewel of the National Park System. I believe it is in the top five of all parks in the entire country in terms of visitorship. It is very popular, and for good reason. It is a spectacular and accessible place near Boulder, Colorado, not far from Denver. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LAMBORN

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 698) to require a land conveyance involving the Elkhorn Ranch and the White River National Forest in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes.

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate those comments. I would point out, for anyone who is interested, that the three of us who are here-- and I am about to yield the floor to Representative Tipton--we are all on the Natural Resources Committee. This is a committee that is going to be doing a lot of exciting and interesting things in this Congress. We are going to be very busy. I am looking forward to that. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tipton), my friend and colleague, who is also a member of the committee.

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 698, the Elkhorn Ranch and White River National Forest Conveyance Act sponsored by my colleague, Congressman Scott Tipton of the great State of Colorado, and cosponsored by Congressman Polis and myself, resolves a longstanding surveying issue in the White River National Forest in western Colorado. In the early 20th century, the U.S. Government issued a series of patents conveying Federal land to private landowners in the region. However, a land survey conducted in 1949 brought these conveyances into question, and the ownership of the land has been in dispute for nearly 70 years. In 2014 the White River National Forest conducted a survey to finalize the land ownership and concluded that 148 acres were improperly within the forest's boundary. This legislation simply conveys this land back to its rightful ownership. This land conveyance is consistent with the existing forest management plan, and the Forest Service is managing this land as though it were already private property. This bill has the support of a wide range of stakeholders in the community and I thank the Congressman from Colorado for his work on this legislation. I would point out, as we discussed earlier, there is bipartisan support from within the Colorado delegation for this bill as well. I urge adoption of the measure and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LAMBORN

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

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I echo what my colleague has just said about those of us from Colorado working together. Of the six bills that we are going to be discussing today, four of them are from Colorado; and yourself, myself, and Representative Tipton from southwest Colorado have collaborated on these four bills. It is bipartisan and we have worked hard and have gotten some good legislation to offer to the House for consideration. I look forward to doing this through the rest of the afternoon, plus two other bills as well. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 618) to authorize, direct, expedite, and facilitate a land exchange in El Paso and Teller Counties, Colorado, and for other purposes.

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 618, the Crags, Colorado Land Exchange Act of 2017 that I introduced along with Congressman Tipton and Congressman Polis. This legislation will facilitate a mutually beneficial land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service and the Emerald Valley Ranch in El Paso and Teller Counties in Colorado. Specifically, this legislation would convey to the United States the 320-acre Crags property located on the west side of Pikes Peak that is currently owned by The Broadmoor Hotel, and a perpetual public-access easement for the lower portion of the popular Barr Trail. In exchange, an 83-acre Federal parcel located at Emerald Valley Ranch on the southeast side of Pikes Peak and a perpetual access easement along two Forest Service roads would be granted to The Broadmoor. This would eliminate the management and liability issues currently facing the United States because of the significant upgrades and improvements The Broadmoor has made to the Emerald Valley Ranch parcel. This land exchange is intended to provide increased recreational opportunities for the public on the Pike National Forest. The 320-acre Crags property is completely surrounded by the Pike National Forest and has been the top acquisition priority for the Pikes Peak Ranger District for several years. The property provides several opportunities to connect Forest Service trails emanating from the Crags campground with trails in the Putney Gulch area. In addition, existing trails within the property could become key links in the proposed Ring the Peak trail. I thank Chairman Bishop and Chairman McClintock and the entire staff of the Subcommittee on Federal Lands for all of their work and bringing this bill to the floor. I urge the adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LAMBORN

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 689) to insure adequate use and access to the existing Bolts Ditch headgate and ditch segment within the Holy Cross Wilderness in Eagle County, Colorado, and for other purposes.

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. LAMBORN

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. LAMBORN

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, perhaps no aspect of America's economy has been as overregulated as energy under the Obama administration; so this week, the House has already acted to repeal two of the most damaging energy regulations. This morning we continue the fight to reduce the unnecessary regulatory costs that are passed along to all Americans by repealing the Bureau of Land Management's venting and flaring rule. Some estimates show that this rule could inflict staggering costs of $1.26 billion on national, State, and local economies, while generating less than $4 million in new royalties. In addition, the legal basis for this rule is tenuous at best. The Clean Air Act authorizes the EPA, not BLM, working in conjunction with States, to make rules affecting air quality. The BLM's venting and flaring rule's extreme compliance cost will force many companies to shut in their wells rather than to continue to operate them. This will be particularly true for marginal wells that are often run by family-owned businesses. And beyond the loss of jobs in Colorado and elsewhere, State and Federal Governments would lose up to $114 million in tax receipts. This is money that States like Colorado depend on for funding education and other critical services. The increase in natural gas production is to the benefit of everyday Americans. The U.S. energy boom saved drivers $550 in fuel costs each year and saved American households over $1,000 last year alone. Affordable, environmentally responsible energy development is critical to the U.S. economy, but this rule is a needless burden on American families. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the joint resolution of disapproval.

Mr. LAMBORN

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Representative Himes be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 611.

Mr. LAMBORN

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, on December 20, 2016, the stream rule was finalized in the last days of the Obama administration by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, OSM. Ostensibly, the rule is about keeping American waterways clean. In reality, it is a power grab aimed at giving Federal regulators more authority to make coal too expensive for anyone to mine or use. But no one should be surprised. In 2008, then candidate Barack Obama told the San Francisco Chronicle that while people would still be free to build a coal-powered electricity plant under his energy policies, it would bankrupt them because of the high costs his regulations would impose. And that is exactly what President Obama has tried to do. Under the stream protection rule, Federal regulators will have expanded power to draw up new standards that make it harder to get a coal mining permit. OSM's Federal water standards would suddenly take precedence over the State standards that have long governed the industry under the Clean Water Act. The Fish and Wildlife Service would also gain the power to veto coal permits. The aim is to take permitting power from States and impose a one- size-fits-all standard. When this process started, 10 States signed on to Interior's rulemaking process as State cooperating agencies. But 8 of the 10 later withdrew because Interior wasn't interested in what they had to say. The subcommittee I chaired held 13 hearings to expose the flaws behind this rule. The rule provides no discernable environmental benefits, while duplicating extensive existing environmental protections at both the Federal and State levels. In fact, the rule's only purpose appears to be to support the environmental lobby's ``keep it in the ground'' platform, locking away up to 64 percent of our domestic coal reserves, putting tens of thousands of Americans out of work, and raising energy costs for millions of Americans. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.

Mr. LAMBORN

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give voice to the millions of lives that have been lost in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade. In the 44 years since that disgraceful decision, an unconscionable 58 million abortions have been performed. That represents 58 million children who will never grow up, never make their own decisions, and never influence the world around them, but whose lives are cut short. The House took a vital step today with the passage of H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill that permanently prohibits taxpayers from funding abortion through the Hyde amendment. Since its original passage, this amendment has saved over 2 million babies. Congress must make permanent these protections to honor the conscience rights of a strong majority of Americans who do not want their taxpayer dollars paying for abortions. This week, we gather to mourn the tragic loss of life and to seek God's forgiveness for the stain of abortion on our Nation's conscience. May God have mercy on our country.

Mr. LAMBORN

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American and steadfast Army National Guardsman. Major Dana W. Graf has distinguished himself through his professional character and dedication to serving this Nation in both military and civilian capacity. A leader and expert communicator, he has served both me and our country well while assigned to the National Capitol Region. As an Army Legislative Fellow on my personal staff in 2014, Major Graf performed his duties deftly. His strategic-level thinking and foresight contributed to the completion of numerous high-level tasks and engagements. Following his Fellowship on the Hill, he was assigned to the National Guard Bureau Office of Legislative Liaison from January 2015 to December 2016. During this assignment, Major Graf conducted more than 230 meetings with Congressional staff. In addition to those meetings, he also led 50 direct engagements between Army National Guard senior leaders, which were essential in conveying important messages on behalf of the Department of Defense and building trust and understanding with Members of Congress and their staff. After serving almost four years in the legislative environment, Major Graf will move onto his next assignment in the State of Kansas and continue to honor our nation as a true citizen-soldier. Dana, his supportive wife Laura, and their three children have sacrificed much as a family in service to our nation. I salute this American patriot whose selfless service has country safe and strong. Godspeed, Dana.

Mr. LAMBORN

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her well-spoken remarks and the heartfelt nature of what she shared. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jody B. Hice).

Mr. LAMBORN. I thank the gentleman from the great State of Georgia for being here, for sharing, and for his background. People come to Congress with all kinds of different backgrounds, and having one or more pastors, which we do here in the body, adds a valuable thread of experience and thought that helps us all. One reason many people respect the Bible is that so many prophecies for telling future events have come true exactly as foretold. In the Old Testament, there are many predictions that were given to prove if a speaker were divinely inspired. If and when these predictions came true, it validated the words of that prophet. The Book of Daniel, for instance, contains scores of detailed prophecies that were literally fulfilled. Skeptics have fallen back to the position that Daniel must have been written after the fact and is misrepresenting itself. In fact, Daniel is found in its entirety in the Greeks' Septuagint and partially in the Dead Sea Scrolls, both of which we know predated the events that were prophesied. The rise and fall of empires, the capture and destruction of cities, and the destiny of kings all were prophesied about in minute detail, and archeology and history have literally confirmed hundreds of such prophecies as having come true. I now yield to a friend, the gentleman from the great State of North Carolina, Robert Pittenger.

Mr. LAMBORN. I thank the gentleman and appreciate his remarks. Let me say something about manuscripts, which are the historical evidence for the text of the Bible. The Bible that we acknowledge during this National Bible Week has come down to us in history through manuscripts that were written centuries or millennia ago. These manuscripts are more numerous by an order of magnitude than any other classical text and go back much closer to the time of origin than any classical text. For instance, the Histories of Herodotus, which, actually, I read recently, are based on eight manuscripts that come about 1,300 years after the original version. By contrast, the New Testament has over 20,000 manuscripts, some of which go back mere decades after the original version. The Dead Sea Scrolls proved that the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, which came down from other sources, is, indeed, accurate and reliable to the letter. I now yield to the gentleman from Ohio, Representative Bill Johnson, my friend and colleague.

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Johnson for what he shared. It is truly appropriate for this National Bible Week. I appreciate how he talked about the ties between Christianity and Judaism and the Judeo-Christian ethic, which ties it all together and how you observed that during your recent trip to Israel. There are many archeological discoveries which have validated Biblical accounts, giving trustworthiness to the Bible we acknowledge during this National Bible Week. Time and time again, archeology has shown the Biblical personalities, locations, and events actually existed in time and space. Claims by critics that a Biblical statement was simply made up have been debunked by later archeological discoveries more times than we can say. The Jewish archaeologist Nelson Glueck has said: ``It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted or contradicted a biblical reference.'' I now yield time to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa). He will talk about this National Bible Week.

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Texas and all the other speakers who joined us during this hour. It has been really wonderful to recognize and commemorate the 75th anniversary of National Bible Week. I would like to thank the National Bible Association--the other NBA-- for offering to provide some historical artifacts, which for logistical reasons we were not actually able to bring here in person, ancient Jewish and Protestant and Catholic texts that we could have used as well to read from. I just want to thank each Member here, and I am glad that we have had 75 years of celebrating this wonderful event. It has been a great part of our national heritage. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.