Ben McAdams

Mr. McADAMS

Mr. McADAMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2030, the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan. My State is one of the four upper division States, and Utah gets 22 percent of its total water supply from the Colorado River. The water is not only the lifeblood for farmers and ranchers in eastern Utah. It also supplies culinary water to the Wasatch Front, a fast-growing urban area where most of the State's residents live. Since the year 2000, the Colorado River Basin and the State of Utah have been in severe drought. We don't know whether this drought will continue or, due to climate change, may permanently alter the river as a source of water. In the meantime, demand for water continues to rise. Both Lake Powell and Lake Mead appear to be operating as designed, but both are at uncomfortably low levels. Congress must act promptly on this legislation so that the new agreement can be implemented and water conservation efforts can get underway. The Upper Basin Drought Contingency Plan is aimed at protecting upper basin water supplies by keeping Lake Powell from falling below a specified critical elevation. Taking steps now to avoid that just makes sense and helps ensure that hydropower needs, water delivery, and protections for endangered species continue in compliance with the Colorado River Compact. I strongly support this bipartisan, collaborative measure that builds on past efforts to decrease stress on basin water supplies and lets States and water users drive the decision, rather than have the Federal Government make unilateral water delivery cutbacks. I thank Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Rob Bishop, my Utah colleague, for bringing this legislation to the floor promptly. It has the backing of Utah's four House Members, and it is supported by the State of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing it signed into law.

Mr. McADAMS

Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, Utah Valley University is my state's largest public university, with an enrollment of nearly 40-thousand students. Yesterday, UVU inaugurated its first woman president--Astrid S. Tuminez. UVU is calling this week ``The Week of Dreams'' and certainly, President Tuminez is an example for all women seeking to achieve their dreams. She was raised in the slums of the Philippines, went to college at age 15 as a pre-med student at the University of the Philippines. She later immigrated to the U.S. to join family, was accepted at Brigham Young University, eventually graduated from Harvard University and received her doctorate at MIT. She has held leadership positions in corporations and universities throughout the world. As she considered the UVU offer, she said she thought there was ``no better place than a university where I could bring the totality of my interests, passions, skills, competencies and life experiences.'' Her presidency is historic for another reason: Half of Utah's public colleges are now led by women. President Tuminez is the latest example of how women are shaping our future--one ground-breaking position at a time.

Mr. McADAMS

Mr. McADAMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the President's budget proposal, which would increase the Federal deficit from $779 billion in 2018 to $1.1 trillion in 2020. If the goal is to rein in deficits and debt, this budget represents epic failure. I am a public servant who takes seriously the responsibility of spending other people's money. As a freshman Member of the Congress, the current deficit hole we have dug for ourselves wasn't my doing, but I was elected to solve problems, not make them worse. America's $22 trillion debt is a bipartisan problem. Democrats and Republicans have acted in a way that suggests that debt doesn't matter. But Utahns know that if it was their small business with books so badly out of balance, they would soon be out of business. Our government has been living beyond its means for years, and I believe it is wrong for one generation to forever burden generations yet to come. As a former mayor who had to balance, in bipartisan fashion, a budget every year, I know these choices aren't easy. But it is our job to roll up our sleeves, come together, and work out a budget that takes serious steps toward reducing the dangerous, unsustainable levels of debt in our country. Those steps are not in the President's budget.

Mr. McADAMS

Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of one of Utah's finest. On January 25th, Utah lost Archie Archuleta--a longtime community activist. Archie was a shining beacon of hope, leading by example on how to be a champion for marginalized groups and for the causes of civil liberties and peace in the State of Utah. He believed that ``truth needs witnesses'' and each person's voice matters. Archie was born near Grand Junction, Colorado, the child of farm workers who picked sugar beets, lettuce and other crops. After getting his bachelor's degree in education, he came to Salt Lake to teach elementary school. He met the love of his life, Lois, and together they raised five children. Archie served as president of the Coalition of La Raza for nine years and for his work on behalf of the Latino Community, he was recognized by many for his efforts. I'll always remember Archie's calls and visits to my office to share his thoughts and advice. He cared deeply about our community and worked hard to make all of us better. I was inspired by Archie's fiery speeches at public rallies and humble mentorship in more private moments. Archie was someone bigger than life--a man who left his mark on so many of the people with whom he came in contact. We mourn his passing but celebrate the legacy of this fierce advocate and gentle teacher.

Mr. McADAMS

Mr. McADAMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 47, the Natural Resources Management Act, which we will vote on tomorrow. This comprehensive public lands package has numerous provisions that benefit my State of Utah and makes permanent the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In my district, this legislation provides an important land conveyance to Juab County that will be used to house personnel to prevent and fight wildfires. This bill also facilitates a land transfer in Utah County to Utah's School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, or SITLA. SITLA holds lands in trust, proceeds which support Utah's education system. This land transfer will ultimately benefit Utah State University and its students. I also want to congratulate my colleague, Representative John Curtis, for his work in bringing together and working with State, city, and county stakeholders in Emery County. The Emery County title in this bill has broad local support and will protect over 600,000 acres of wilderness, the largest wilderness designation in 25 years. This legislation is good for Utah's economy. The Land and Water Conservation Fund should never have been allowed to expire because it is such a vital program.

Mr. McADAMS

Mr. McADAMS. Mr. Speaker, working families in Utah are now facing another lost pay period. Through no fault of their own, they are suffering from the last Congress' failure to pass bills to fund government operations and our inability now to get an agreement to end the shutdown. This weekend, I heard stories firsthand. Family members are facing medical issues due to the stress of wondering when a spouse will be paid. IRS workers worry about missing the training they need to be ready for processing tax returns. Air traffic controllers are working hard to keep airplanes in proper airspace over the Salt Lake Valley but are going without normal staff backup and equipment maintenance. One individual who has been in government service for 30 years as a member of the military and as a civilian has applied for other jobs, knowing that he is likely not going to get hired. Employers see too much uncertainty. Small businesses are hurting because their customers don't have money to eat at local restaurants or shop in local stores. The shutdown is harming the entire American economy and every American. As one worker said to me: Our jobs have nothing to do with the border. They have had enough of political games. I support border security, and I support Dreamers, but we need to end the shutdown so that they can get back to work.

Mr. McADAMS

Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 268, the legislation that we voted on earlier today to provide disaster relief, including relief for my home State of Utah. Specifically, this bill includes money for the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission for critical environmental work in the Strawberry River watershed and part of the Diamond Fork drainage. Last summer, the Dollar Ridge fire burned an area of almost 70,000 acres, centered over the Strawberry River watershed. This area has been a critical focal point of the Central Utah Project for almost 40 years. The Central Utah Project diverts, stores, and delivers large quantities of water from numerous Utah rivers to meet the needs of central Utah's citizens. In cooperation with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the mitigation commission is working to repair tremendous damage to the area, both from the fire itself and subsequent rain and runoff events. Water quality has suffered greatly. Money from this legislation will be used to reseed, replant, and set up monitoring stations to better respond to the future mudslide and sediment flows. A portion of the funds will also be used to begin restoring an area in the Diamond Fork Canyon that was affected by a second fire. I also commend my Utah colleague Representative Chris Stewart for his amendment to the bill, providing much-needed funding for fire protection