Ben Luján

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise for the last time on the floor of the House of Representatives. Growing up on a small farm in New Mexico, I never imagined that I would walk these hallowed Halls and speak from this Chamber. Of course, I did not get here alone. I stand on the shoulders of giants like Dennis Chavez and Manuel Lujan and many others who blazed a trail for me and other Hispanic Americans to serve our communities proudly in the people's House. I also owe my public service to heroes a little closer to home: My mother, Carmen, a retired public school employee; and my late father, Ben, a union iron worker who became Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives. They taught me that no job is too big or too small, and that we must be guided by our compassion for others. It was their passion for serving others that propelled me to seek public office. Thanks, Mom and Dad. I also want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and Whip Clyburn and countless other Members for their guidance and mentorship during my career in the House and during these last 2 years that I have served as Assistant Speaker. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for your friendship and support. And thank you to the freshmen Members, the new Members, who I had the honor of working with and mentoring during the 116th Congress. During a difficult time in our Nation's history, your commitment to our constituents and the Nation has inspired me every day. Thank you to my staff, who work long hours and weekends to serve the people of New Mexico. Their support has enabled me to make progress on the issues that matter most to New Mexicans. And, finally, thank you to the people of New Mexico's Third Congressional District. It has been such an honor to represent you. The House and I will never stop working to make a positive difference. I am proud of what we were able to accomplish for New Mexico's Third Congressional District: Defending the Affordable Care Act, which expanded health coverage to 270,000 New Mexicans; Reaching across the aisle to pass bills into law combating the opioid epidemic that has ravished families and communities; Working with my Republican colleagues to make robust investments in our world-class national labs; Creating good-paying jobs for New Mexicans by passing measures to bolster our State's growing outdoor economy and to improve broadband deployment in our rural communities; Passing legislation to preserve and protect Native languages for future generations; Ensuring New Mexico's land grants and acequias are treated with dignity and respect, and can continue to thrive; And assisting thousands of New Mexicans in navigating our Federal agencies, helping veterans and seniors secure their hard-earned benefits, taxpayers navigate the IRS, and new citizens through the naturalization process. Mr. Speaker, I will include in the Record a list of 29 bills I led and 10 that I co-led that became law while I served in the House. Come January, the Third District will have a new representative in Teresa Leger Fernandez. I know she will be a champion for working families and for New Mexico. I look forward to continuing to work with her and the rest of my friends in the New Mexico delegation from the other side of the Capitol. I am truly humbled that the people of New Mexico have sent me to be their voice in the United States Senate. To be perfectly honest, it hasn't sunk in yet. But I will miss the people's House. It has been the privilege of my lifetime to serve here alongside you. Let's continue to heed the call of the American people and make a positive difference every day that we can.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, as a proud New Mexican, I rise in support of the Land Grant-Mercedes Traditional Use Recognition and Consultation Act that I introduced to ensure that the Federal Government recognizes the historical and cultural significance of New Mexico's land grants and acequias. Growing up on a small farm in Nambe, New Mexico, I would wake up before dawn to feed the livestock, to open the ``compuertas'' or the headgates to allow the waters of the acequia to flow to our land and irrigate our crops. These chores and responsibilities, preserving our acequias and communal lands, are part of our way of life in New Mexico. Land grants and acequias have been around for generations, hundreds of years, and they deserve recognition from the Federal Government. Traditional communities face a growing number of challenges, such as the climate crisis, which impacts the local watersheds and forested areas. Without improved consultation and cooperation between the Federal Government and traditional communities, these communities may not have access to the resources they need to survive. This legislation offers land grants the opportunity to be more involved in the issues that impact their community by requiring that future Federal land management planning consider historical and traditional uses. It directs the Federal Government to issue guidance on permit requirements for qualified traditional use communities and helps New Mexicans who have stewarded these lands for generations maintain precious infrastructure like acequias. This legislation recognizes the importance of protecting culturally important sites and communities and ensures that the impact of Federal actions on historical-traditional uses is evaluated and considered during the land management planning processes. To ensure that acequia associations have a strong voice in advocating for their right to maintain their infrastructure, this legislation requires the Forest Service to work directly with acequia associations to develop a proposed rule on special use permits. Addressing these challenges faced by land grant and acequia communities, including their interactions with the Federal Government, has been a priority of mine since I was elected to Congress. I am proud and honored to have worked with the New Mexico Land Grant Council and the New Mexico Acequia Association to move this legislation forward. I am grateful to Chairman Grijalva, Ranking Member Bishop, Subcommittee Chair Haaland, and Ranking Member Young, and Representative Case for their support in bringing this important legislation to the House floor. Today, with the support of New Mexico's traditional communities, I urge the House to pass my legislation and ensure a victory for our land grants and acequias.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support the Fraud and Scam Reduction Act, which includes my bipartisan Protecting Indian Tribes from Scams Act that I introduced alongside Representative Gianforte, to address the rise of scams during this deadly pandemic. As our Nation grieves the loss of more than 247,000 Americans to COVID-19, and millions of families experience financial hardship, it is nothing short of reprehensible that scammers are preying on the most vulnerable amongst us. Fraud reports to the Federal Trade Commission, which had been steady at 770,000 per quarter over the past 4 years, jumped to 1.1 million this summer, including an increase of 144 percent coinciding with the pandemic. That demonstrates why we must come together to protect Americans against fraud and theft. Nationwide, predatory schemes have already cost Americans over $1.5 billion in stolen assets so far in 2020. Scammers have targeted the $1,200 economic impact payments, peddled false treatments for COVID-19, and attempted to sell defective personal protective equipment at a time when the fears and confusion over COVID-19 remain high. These scams have put elders', military servicemembers', and families' health and finances at risk, and it is time for Congress to put an end to the despicable practice. This bipartisan effort will help Congress take additional measures to tackle this threat and better understand the scale of this crisis. As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise in New Mexico and across the Nation, I will continue working, on a bipartisan basis, to provide additional relief and alleviate the financial pressures that all New Mexicans are facing. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to protect our communities against scams and fraud. I thank the chairman for his work. I thank Chairwoman Schakowsky for her work. And I thank Chairman and current Ranking Member Greg Walden for his work, his commitment to his constituents, his service to the people of America. Mr. Speaker, Greg is a good friend. It has been fun to spar with him. It has been fun to work with him. I look forward to his public service after he retires from the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, during this COVID-19 pandemic, which has already killed more than 200,000 Americans, it is crucial that the CDC and State health departments are sharing essential, lifesaving public health data from Tribal epidemiology centers to protect the health of the people they serve. TECs, like any State or local health department, are legally entitled to access to the same data, but for the first months of the public health emergency, this data was withheld, despite the urging of Tribal leaders, myself, and fellow members of the Energy and Commerce Committee. This data, including information on COVID-19 testing, positive case numbers, contact tracing, and more, is essential for Tribes and TECs to protect the health and well-being of the communities they serve. That is why Representative Gianforte and I introduced the bipartisan Tribal Health Data Improvement Act with the support of the National Indian Health Board. While the CDC Director has fulfilled the commitment he made to me to share COVID-related data with all the TECs, there are still barriers to accessing other important data sets that are crucial to protecting the public health during and after this pandemic. This important legislation makes it clear that the Department of Health and Human Services and State health departments are required to share data with Tribal health authorities, and it includes additional funding to make this happen. This legislation is about justice and living up to the Federal Government's legal responsibility. It would help save lives as we continue working to defeat this virus. Tribes and TECs are working hard to protect public health in their communities, and it is their right to access the CDC data to do so. Madam Speaker, I look forward to seeing the House pass this legislation, and I will urge my colleagues in the Senate to act with the same urgency.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the CBO score on this legislation. CBO's Estimate of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Effects of Rules Committee Print 116-63, H.R. 4447, The Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, Including Manager's Amendment (Pallone 170), as Reported by the Committee on Rules on September 21, 2020 The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget- reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. The net changes in outlays and revenues that are subject to those procedures are shown here. H.R. 4447 would modify existing laws and policies governing the energy sector. CBO estimates that the provisions noted below would have an insignificant effect on net direct spending, revenues, and the deficit over the 2020-2030 period. Subtitle C of Title I would require federal agencies and data centers to implement strategies to acquire, use, and maintain information technologies expected to increase energy efficiency. Those provisions could affect direct spending if agencies procure energy-efficient technologies using longterm contracts known as energy savings performance contracts. Subtitle F of Title II would allow operators with certain federal leases to noncompetitively acquire the rights to coproduce geothermal resources under that lease and to noncompetitively lease land adjoining that lease. CBO expects that few leases would be affected by this provision. Subtitle C of Title IV would reduce revenues by extending quotas for imports of uranium from Russia until 2040, which under current law are set to expire in 2020. Title XI would allow aggrieved persons to sue entities, such as local governments, for discrimination that occurs in the context of implementing environmental projects or regulations promulgated by federal agencies. CBO expects that provision would increase the number of suits filed in federal court. Those changes would increase both revenues (from court filing fees) and spending of those fees. H.R. 4447 also would authorize the appropriation of more than $125 billion over the 2021-2025 period for various programs related to clean energy. Any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriations for those programs. H.R. 4447 contains intergovernmental and private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). CBO estimates that the costs of mandates on private entities would exceed the private-sector threshold established in UMRA, and the costs of mandates on state, local, and tribal governments would fall below the threshold for intergovernmental mandates (those thresholds are $168 million and $84 million in 2020, respectively, adjusted annually for inflation).

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I would also be happy to share this with my colleague and my friend from Louisiana. The CBO score on this is zero. So I will make sure I hand this over to him, as well, to take a look. Mr. Speaker, at home in New Mexico, we are very proud of our national labs, three national labs, two at the Department of Energy. New Mexico has seen the value that the United States Department of Energy brings to the fight against COVID-19. Through our national labs, the Department has provided support to the National Institutes of Health and other government agencies, leveraged its scientific resources, but did a lot of work to improve the epidemiological models and much more. The Department of Energy has another important role to play by helping to restart America's innovation economy, creating jobs, and moving us toward economic recovery. My amendment with Representatives Wilson, Torres Small, and Casten, and based on the IMPACT for Energy Act, would help the Department achieve these goals by establishing the Department of Energy-affiliated nonprofit foundation to raise private-sector funds and leverage expertise that supports the research, development, and commercial application of technologies that address our Nation's energy challenges and combat climate change. This model works. The National Institutes of Health, CDC, and USDA foundations have already demonstrated that they can raise billions of private-sector dollars to support research and innovation. And innovation, in turn, drives economic growth. To enhance these efforts as part of the clean energy economy, we have the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. We will also be advancing my legislation to improve innovators' access to national lab facilities and to develop the next generation of tech leaders through partnership between national labs and institutions of higher education. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this en bloc amendment and the underlying bill.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment to support Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers. Our country and my home state of New Mexico have made progress in addressing the opioid crisis, but the United States is still falling far short of ensuring that everyone struggling with a substance use disorder can access the treatment they need. Recovery is not a one- size-fits-all approach--it needs to be tailored to each person's unique needs. In 2018, Congress passed the overwhelmingly bipartisan SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. This legislation included new grants for Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers--facilities that provide the full continuum of treatment services, including all FDA-approved methods of medication assisted treatment, peer support, and wrap-around services for families. These Centers can help us identify what works and develop best practices to improve treatment everywhere. Last year, Congress provided $2 million for the first round of funding for two Centers, which will be awarded this fall. My amendment increases funding to $10 million, the full amount authorized by the SUPPORT Act, to fund 10 Centers to serve some of the hardest-hit communities and build the evidence needed to improve treatment across the country. Thank you to Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Pappas for joining me on this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to vote YES.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 148 on H.R. 6395, I mistakenly recorded my vote as Yes when I should have voted No.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of our friend and colleague John Lewis, the gentleman from Georgia, a great man, a treasure, and our brother. Congressman Lewis spent his life fighting for justice. When Mr. Lewis spoke, he did so with a force and moral clarity. He was an original freedom fighter who embodied what it means to be a humble public servant. John never let anything stand in the way of doing what was right. His legacy will continue by the generations of brothers and sisters he inspired to get in good trouble. It was a blessing to have known Congressman Lewis, and I know his light will continue shining bright in the courage and conviction of the American people. As we lay our friend to rest, the torch of justice shines bright. Let us honor Congressman Lewis by continuing his fight. Rest in power, my friend.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Jennifer Catechis for her years of service to my office and the people of New Mexico's Third Congressional District. Jennifer and I have known each other for decades. We first met in high school. Later, she would work with me at New Mexico's Public Relations Commission. For the last twelve years, she has overseen the district offices of New Mexico's Third Congressional District. But the titles and years don't speak to who Jennifer Catechis is--she is family. And she treated her team and the fellow New Mexicans she was honored to serve like family. Under her leadership, she guided my local operations, helping countless constituents navigate the federal system--ensuring veterans received the medals and benefits they earned, helping communities get support in times of strife, and always responding to need no matter the hour. If you called her for assistance, you didn't just get a seasoned, industrious professional staffer--you got a voice of compassion. To our team and those she worked with, she responded with similar care. Birthdays were never forgotten, milestones recognized, and every year Jennifer's carefully chosen holiday gifts meant the season had truly arrived. Coworkers, neighbors, visitors--just about any New Mexican within driving distance--would be invited to her home for her Greek Easter celebration. During difficult times, battling cancer, Jennifer maintained her unsinkable spirit--both while caring for her own health and continuing to fight for the people of New Mexico. After her recovery, she lent her voice to the fight against cancer--proving that even when a cause was personal, it was still about how she could be of service to others in need. As she transitions onto future endeavors, I want to thank and recognize Jennifer--a public servant, a team leader and mentor, a fierce cancer survivor, an incredible mom, and a member of our proud New Mexico family.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, since the beginning of this crisis, I have heard from Tribal leaders about the human tragedy of COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation: whole families ravaged by the disease, doctors overwhelmed by the surging cases, and insufficient Federal help. These leaders are sounding the alarm for a community in crisis, and I have been working to ensure the medical professionals who serve the Navajo Nation have every tool at their disposal to treat patients and protect themselves. But instead of doing right by the Navajo Nation, this administration, ProPublica found, awarded a $3 million contract for personal protective equipment to an 11-day-old company headed by a former White House staffer. As a result, the IHS received hundreds of thousands of masks that may be unsuitable for medical use. This lack of leadership endangers lives. That is why I am working with the New Mexico delegation and our colleagues from Arizona to hold the Trump administration accountable. The Navajo Nation deserves the full support of the Federal Government during this crisis and not to have this administration turn a blind eye while the Nation loses one more parent, grandparent, son, or daughter. This administration must act as an honest partner to the Navajo people, and I will fight to ensure that happens.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. In the face of this crisis, I have seen so many New Mexicans step up. They have gathered fabric scraps, distributed masks, checked in with their neighbors, and showed their resilience over and over. But so many people, small businesses, and communities continue to struggle. Today, we approve $360 billion for small businesses, $75 billion for our hospitals and frontline workers who are doing heroic work to save lives, and $25 billion so that more people can be tested for this deadly virus. But our work is not done. Everyone knows this is not enough, and due to Republican opposition, this package fails to provide necessary relief to our local, State, and Tribal governments. Mitch McConnell said local governments should file for bankruptcy to make themselves whole. I had the honor this last week to participate in a townhall with the Navajo Nation, and I heard firsthand their struggles. They need resources, water, and testing. We need to do more for them, and we need to do more for the people of New Mexico and everyone living in the United States of America. Small businesses must be prioritized by approving these loans and grants. The American people are counting on us. Let's act.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the legislation before us. We are living in uncertain times. This virus has drastically reshaped each one of our communities, and there is likely more change to come. Today, Americans need us. They need the support and resources provided by this bipartisan legislation. They need access to protective equipment, a personal safety net, and economic assistance. Workers need assurances that their economic security is paramount because it is the American worker at the cornerstone of our economy. In this bill, I fought so that trade workers and engineers employed at New Mexico's national labs can continue protecting our national security mission. We cannot let them down. We must pass this bill for the teacher who is delivering meals to students to make sure they don't go hungry just because they are not in the classroom. We must pass this bill for nurses, doctors, healthcare professionals, and first responders who haven't slept as they provide for the sick. We must pass this bill for rural communities that need the lifeline to ensure seniors are fed and individuals can access healthcare when the nearest doctor is hundreds of miles away. We must pass this for everyone who is fighting to keep one another safe, healthy, and afloat. We cannot let them down. The reality we wake up to each day may change, but what remains the same is that we face this crisis together. Like every crisis we have faced before, we will get through this together. Passage of this legislation is an important step, but I want every New Mexican and every American to know that we understand this uncertain time demands an extraordinary response. Together, we will not let each other down, and we will meet that challenge.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, no one came to Congress to impeach a President. We came here to solve the mighty issues that impact the lives of the constituents we pledged to serve. I am here because too many families in my district still rely on water trucked in from dozens of miles away. I am here because too many New Mexican children still go to school hungry. I am here because too many women in New Mexico drive for hours to find a doctor able to care for them. But this moment has found us. We have reached a point in time where our love of country compels action, where our duty to this republic mandates that we do what is right. The President's behavior is so blatantly wrong that ignoring his abuses of power would be abdicating the oath we made to protect this country and uphold our Constitution.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act. With the passage of this legislation, Congress has made monumental progress to affirm Native communities honoring their heritage by speaking the languages gifted to them by their creators. Today, we recognize the only existing Federal Native language education grant programs. These programs give our first Americans crucial support to protect their languages from extinction. Today is a historic moment, a blessing, and I want to offer thanks to the people who made this achievement possible. We owe our deepest gratitude to Esther Martinez of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, who ensured Tewa is spoken across New Mexico. Her passion for her culture and tradition is what brought us together today. To the educators who work every day to ensure Native languages are here for future generations, thank you. I thank my colleague Senator Tom Udall, who has made reauthorization of these programs a top priority for more than a decade and successfully secured passage of the legislation in the U.S. Senate. I would also like to recognize Congressman Grijalva, Mr. Speaker, for his leadership on behalf of Tribes and Native peoples. I am deeply grateful for my colleagues Congresswomen Haaland and Torres Small, Chairmen Young and Cole, Congresswomen McCollum and Gabbard, and Chairman Scott for joining together to ensure this legislation had its day on the House floor. I thank and recognize all the Pueblo, Apache, and Navajo leaders from New Mexico, including those in the gallery today. With the permission of her family, I am honored to celebrate the legacy that Esther Martinez and her Pueblo have shared with the world. New Mexico boasts a rich history and diversity that includes 23 Native Nations and seven indigenous language groups found nowhere else on Earth. Esther Martinez, a master educator and linguist, dedicated her life to the Tewa language, which today is spoken across six northern Pueblos in my district and in Hopi-Tewa in Arizona. As a child whose first language was Tewa, Mrs. Martinez attended a government-run Indian boarding school where nearly everything that made her a Pueblo woman was banned, including her language. Her experience is not unique. Generations of Native families had their children torn from their arms, bound for schools that forced English and Western education on Native students. Despite living through a period of overt racism with Federal policies aimed at exterminating Native culture, Mrs. Martinez defied the odds by returning to Ohkay Owingeh. She raised her children and family to speak the Tewa dialect. Esther went on to teach many more as a linguist, a schoolteacher, and the director of bilingual education for her Pueblo. Her legacy lives on in the sounds of Tewa being spoken in her community. Her son Tony and daughters Marie and Josephine are raising their children and grandchildren with Tewa in their homes. Her daughter Mercedes is a regular attendee at adult language classes taught by one of Esther Martinez' proteges. Esther Martinez' grandson, former Lieutenant Governor Matthew Martinez, a doctor of American studies and American Indian studies, advances his culture at Santa Fe's Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. He is also teaching Tewa to his youngest son. Today, we pass this legislation knowing that it will help Native communities protect their languages for generations to come. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution on the floor. We are here today because of the rule of law. This resolution, the inquiry, is Congress upholding the oath we pledged to the Constitution. We are here because of the President, his actions, his jeopardizing our national security for his own political gain. We are here because we know the White House and the President admitted that President Trump used the power of the Presidency to pressure and strong-arm the President of a foreign country for his political gain. He called it ``a favor.'' ``Do us a favor,'' he said. But it wasn't a favor. It was a coordinated attempt to undermine the rule of law. Because of those actions, Congress is compelled to be here to uphold the rule of law; to make sure Americans hear the truth; to say that no one, not even a President, can abuse the system without fair and just consequences.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Chairman, my colleague from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) in the previous debate, had some incredible charts that he was displaying. In it, he proclaimed: The rocks shall set you free. I was born and raised, and my faith taught me, that the truth shall set you free, Mr. Chairman. I was also taught that people are entitled to their own opinions, Mr. Chairman, but not their own facts. If my colleague from Arizona participated in those hearings, as he said he did, he heard the witnesses from the Bureau of Land Management, the witness from the Bureau of Land Management in this direct question about the rights of Navajo allottees being taken away. Some of my Republican colleagues will argue that protecting Chaco will impact the Navajo allottees' right to develop valid rights. This is blatantly false. Let the silence sit in. It is false. The Bureau of Land Management testified before Congress and said that this legislation ``would not affect Tribal interests or allottees.'' Mr. Chairman, it is critically important that we have a conversation about the importance of protecting Chaco. While we have taken steps to defend Chaco, Chaco is at risk of being hurt, of being desecrated, of being destroyed. That is why we have come together. I would invite my colleague to join us and visit Chaco, visit with the elders, the women who are there, the children who are in proximity of those fumes that my colleague, the chairwoman, Deb Haaland from New Mexico, was able to describe, where you don't just smell the methane; technology today allows you to see those plumes move into people's homes. This legislation, Mr. Chairman, is very clear. It puts in place a practice by the Bureau of Land Management. It takes out of production Federal land. The lies need to stop about telling our Navajo brothers and sisters who are allottees that this will hurt their access to those lands, that this will restrict access to those lands. As a matter of fact, Mr. Chairman, just to be thorough, an amendment that I will offer later today will make it even more clear that this, in fact, is only about taking BLM land out of production. Mr. Chairman, with all the work that we have left to do with us, this is a piece of legislation supported by the New Mexico delegation, something that, based on the amendment that my colleague from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) just offered, might understand. It is supported by myself; the Representative from the district, Congresswoman Deb Haaland, one of the first two Native American women elected to the Congress--and you heard the passion in her voice; she is carrying the weight of her ancestors on her shoulders as she debates the fight to protect this sacred land--Congresswoman Torres Small, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, the Governor of the State of New Mexico, and the Commissioner of Public Lands. If you need a longer list of elected leaders from New Mexico who support this bill, I can make it available. Let's work together, Mr. Chairman. And the last thing I will say is that I am very proud that this legislation will pass with bipartisan support. Pray on it. Think about where our loved ones have been laid to rest. We wouldn't want those grave sites being desecrated. We don't want this sacred site being desecrated either.

Mr. LUJAN. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LUJAN. Has the gentleman read the bill?

Mr. LUJAN. If the gentleman read the bill, he would see that the text has made very clear this takes Bureau of Land Management land out, not allottee land; and if the gentleman would review the clarifying amendment, he would also see that, as well. So don't just take my word for it, look at the text and look at the advice of your staff.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Chair, I simply want to respond to my colleague that was just speaking. This area is within those exterior boundaries of the archeological sites and findings and indigenous lands that we referred to as Chaco. I would invite my colleague to come out to New Mexico. I will take the gentleman out there. Congresswoman Debra Haaland would love to host the gentleman. My colleague from the other side of the aisle brought up this notion that this development is subject to Federal law.

Mr. LUJAN. If the gentleman would take a moment and go to the NOAA website, the gentleman would see that New Mexico has two methane clouds over it. We have the two worst methane emissions of anywhere in the country, even though we don't have the most oil and gas production. I am sorry my colleague is not able to stay for this debate. Mr. Chairman, right now, there is a theft taking place to U.S. taxpayers because there is intentional leaking of methane that is taking place. You can see it. There is technology, now, that allows you not just to--when you are out there, Mr. Chairman, you can smell it. But the technology now lets you see these plumes going into people's homes who live right there. Let's find a way to be smart about this. I agree with that. But there are places we have to protect, and this is one of them.

Mr. LUJAN. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LUJAN. Would it surprise the gentleman from Arizona that they are actually using duct tape to try to seal leaks from methane plumes in New Mexico? Does the gentleman think that is allowed?

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Chair, I think the gentleman and I may actually be able to find some common ground. There are available technologies today--as the gentleman may know, being in tune with modern technology associated with oil and gas exploration--that can identify leaks, can prevent those leaks, and actually can eliminate intentional flaring, but first you have to find them and you have to seal those leaks. Mr. Chair, I would be happy to work with the gentleman to identify a funding stream so that we can identify every methane leak across America, seal every leak, and prevent intentional methane flaring. I think there is some common ground we can work on, because this is all about compromise, and this may be an area that--the gentleman, Mr. Gosar, someone I respect--we might be able to find some common ground. We will take the gentleman out to New Mexico. We will put the gentleman's eyes on that camera where the gentleman can see the plumes moving. And while they may try to fix it temporarily with duct tape-- sometimes on the farm we do it with baling wire, as the gentleman knows--we should use real technology, eliminate those leaks, eliminate those plumes, and actually make it illegal to intentionally flare. Let's find common ground on that. Does the gentleman know why they flare the methane? That is stealing from taxpayers.