Joe Neguse

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Well, Mr. Lieu, I couldn't agree with you more. And you make a very interesting and salient point, because as we reflect on the 200 days with House Democrats leading the charge here in the Congress, pushing to get money in pockets and restaurant revitalization funds and funds for small businesses and the child tax credit payments, and funds for our schools and funds for firefighting departments and local communities, we know that House Democrats have been working for the people. And while it is unfortunate that the House Republican Caucus has been unwilling to partner with us in this effort, we certainly hope that they will come around. Mr. Speaker, as you know, one of the privileges of serving in this august body is meeting giants. The Speaker, of course, is familiar with the refrain that we stand on the shoulders of giants, and that is certainly the case in the instance of the colleague of whom I have the honor of recognizing, someone who has been a voice for the voiceless, who has been a champion for working families in our country, for doing everything that she can possibly do to eradicate poverty, not just in the State of California, but across the country. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), my distinguished colleague and friend.

Mr. NEGUSE. It is funny that you ask that question, Mr. Lieu, because not a single Republican, not one, voted for the child tax credit; no laughing matter, as it were.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to entertain the gentleman's question.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, Wednesday, tomorrow, marks 200 days of this Congress and 200 days of House Democrats delivering for the people. Together, with President Biden we have created millions of jobs since he took office at a faster pace than any President in U.S. history. Economic growth projections are up. Wages are up. And unemployment is down. With the passage of the American Rescue Plan, we have brought needed relief to families across the country. More than 160 million Americans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. And nearly 70 percent of adults in the United States have received at least one shot. We invested in helping schools reopen safely and to make up for lost learning time. We sent money to States and to local communities to help keep childcare providers on the job and to lower costs for working families. And we got more than 163 million economic impact payments into the hands of hardworking Americans in 2021. And last week, child tax credit monthly payments began hitting the bank accounts of roughly 39 million households, covering almost 90 percent of children nationwide. That is historic tax relief for nearly every working family across the United States. And behind each of those numbers is a family member, a neighbor, a colleague faced with untenable circumstances, getting the support that they need. Last week I had a chance to sit down, Mr. Speaker, with families in my district. I represent northern Colorado. It is a wonderful place. Many of these families shared with me exactly what these child tax credit payments will mean for them and for their families. Annie in Boulder, a woman that I met last Wednesday, is 8 months pregnant, and her child tax credit payment is helping her pay for healthcare while she is on maternity leave until she is able to return to work full time. Johanna from Fort Collins, already received her credit on July 15, and she will use that credit to pay for a summer camp for her son. Others shared how these payments will help pay for their childcare, for food, or rent payments. Child tax credit payments for many Colorado families, for many California families, for many Texas families, for many Montana families, for many American families is a lifeline because the payments mean money in the pockets of hardworking parents that will ultimately help strengthen our economy and build better lives for their families. The bottom line is that with the child tax credit and with the American Rescue Plan, help is here for so many. I recently had an opportunity to take a road trip across my district to see what the American Rescue Plan has meant for families in northern Colorado from Boulder County to Larimer County up to the Wyoming border from Vail to Grand Lake to Bailey, Evergreen, and many places in between, visiting with families and small business owners, childcare workers, and communities. And we heard story after story about how these funds are helping our communities, providing support to local food banks who have seen skyrocketing demands, providing a needed lifeline to small business owners and renters, and supporting, as I said, our cities and counties amidst the unprecedented moment that we are all experiencing. We have always said that at this time of unprecedented challenge, we could not leave our families or our communities to weather this moment alone. Well, we have not. President Biden has not. House Democrats have not. Senate Democrats have not. And we will not. Mr. Speaker, 200 days--200 days of shots in arms, money in pockets, children in schools, people in jobs. And our work is just getting started, because we will continue to deliver for the American people. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lieu), my good friend, the co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, someone who has been delivering for the people in his district in California and for the people of our country for many years.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Boulder County on their inaugural Juneteenth celebration this year. In 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing millions of enslaved people. Two years later, on June 19, 1865, the impact of this proclamation reached Texas, where the last enslaved people were liberated when Union soldiers marched into Galveston to deliver the news. Over 150 years have since passed, and while there is still much work to be done in the fight for racial justice and equality, we celebrate the resilience of Black Americans and the long struggle for freedom and justice that they have led. I am incredibly proud that Boulder County is holding an inaugural Juneteenth event. By exposing more people to the importance of this day and educating our community, we have the power to make a difference in Boulder County. Thank you to everyone for putting the work in to organize this event, and I look forward to celebrating the event with you.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Speaker, today I wish to honor and thank a Boulder Colorado trailblazer: Frances Draper. It's hard to distill such a luminous human into a few short paragraphs. Frances is equal parts tough and kind; cooperative and indomitable; pragmatic and optimistic. ``There's a pony in here for everyone,'' is Frances's way of pointing out that by working together--by seeking to collaborate rather than divide--we can almost always get to win-win outcomes. In her role at the University of Colorado-Boulder, Frances reimagined and transformed the way that the city and the University collaborate, and ushered in a spirit of teamwork in town-and-gown relations that serves as a model for our Nation. She has served as a beacon of opportunity and decency in our community, representing the university and the city with honor, integrity and humanity. Prior to joining the university, Frances was Executive Director of the Boulder Economic Council, manager of the Sun Microsystems business and finance line for General Electric, and a legislative aide to Harrison Schmidt, U.S. Senator from New Mexico. Frances has lived in Boulder for close to 40 years, during which time she served on crucial local boards such as Foothills United Way, Naturally Boulder, I Have a Dream, and Boulder Rotary. She was also instrumental in establishing CO-Labs, a consortium of Colorado-based research laboratories. Neither the city of Boulder, nor the University of Colorado-Boulder, would be what they are today without Frances' wisdom, generosity, and tireless advocacy. Frances is the kind of person who makes the world a better place as she goes, and in doing so, inspires those around her to rise similarly to that endeavor. Boulderites and CU Buffs will forever stand on Frances' shoulders, and on the shoulders of those she inspires. On behalf of Colorado CD-2, I thank and honor Frances Draper for her countless contributions to our community.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Speaker, I rise with my colleagues from the State of Colorado to honor the 10 precious lives lost at the King Soopers grocery store in my congressional district in Boulder, Colorado, on March 22nd. There are no words to express how the Boulder community is feeling in the wake of this tragedy. Our hearts are broken. The loss of life is truly heartbreaking and unimaginable. Ten lives taken too soon; daughters, sons, neighbors, spouses, coworkers, community members, each of whom left a profound impact on our community: Officer Eric Talley, Denny, Neven, Rikki, Tralona, Suzanne, Teri, Kevin, Lynn, and Jody. Today, may we remember them and honor them as we lift their names and express our deepest condolences to their families. I hope everyone in the House will now join me for a moment of silence.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I had prepared remarks, but I cannot let the minority leader's remarks go unanswered. Some of my colleagues are aware of this. I was born in Minority Leader McCarthy's district, in Bakersfield, California. My parents came to this country 40 years ago as refugees. Because of the incredible freedoms and opportunities that our wonderful country has to offer, we have been able to live the American Dream. How dare he denigrate a majority that is working to ensure that that dream remains secure for thousands of Dreamers. In his district, in my district, across the United States, young people who live in fear, young people who have known no other country but the United States as their home, that is what this bill is about. Let's pass H.R. 6. Let's ensure that these Dreamers are treated the way they should be, as Americans. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you as the son of refugees. My parents came to this country nearly 40 years ago in search of the American Dream. Their ability to offer my sister and I countless freedoms and opportunities and the fact that just one generation removed I can stand in this chamber as a member of Congress, is powerful proof that that dream still exists. It is our duty to ensure that access to that dream remains attainable, for the 800,000 young Dreamers currently living in the shadows, for immigrants serving our communities on the frontlines of this pandemic--all while living in tremendous uncertainty and fear. This bill will codify what we already know to be true, that their home is here. We must pass H.R. 6. We must pursue the dream and the promise that is embedded in our great nation. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the more than 100,000 Americans who every year are impacted by gun violence, and I rise today to give voice to the overwhelming majority of the American people who support universal background checks. Communities in Colorado have experienced the tragedy and the grief of gun violence far too many times--Columbine, Aurora, Highlands Ranch. Mr. Speaker, enough is enough. We have lost too many parents, friends, neighbors, students, and children to gun violence. This Congress must act, which is why I support H.R. 8. We must act on gun violence. We must pass H.R. 8, and we must send it to President Biden's desk.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I would just say to my colleague: One, I want to welcome him to the United States Congress, and I thank him for his thoughtful recitation with respect to the amendment he offered. But I just want to assure him, for example, with respect to the CORE Act, my provision of this bill, it has the support of every county in which a part of the bill is designated. That is to say, in the areas where there are protections being made in the bill, the counties in those areas support this bill. And that is why this bill has attracted such bipartisan support back home in Colorado and why it has passed the House twice. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, Pursuant to House Resolution 147, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib), the newest member of our Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, again, I have great respect for my colleague, the ranking member, but what he purports this bill will do is just simply not the case. I would think that trying to prevent uranium mining in the Grand Canyon would not be controversial. I would hope that my colleagues could come to a consensus on that. As lawmakers, we all know that strong policy requires compromise. It requires years of input and vigorous debate. I am happy to participate in this debate, and I appreciate the gentleman's participation. When we think of some of the most iconic, protected places in the United States--Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon--it is difficult to imagine a time when they were not protected, but even those most treasured places in America underwent criticism from Members of Congress. The arguments, actually, that we heard today are nearly identical to those that we were hearing on the floor 100 years ago. In 1882, Benjamin Harrison, who was then a Senator from Indiana, introduced a bill to designate land lying on the Colorado River in the territory of Arizona as a public park. The bill was forwarded to Interior Secretary Henry Teller, who was a Coloradan, and he opposed conservation of the site. He told the Senate that the bill was unnecessary and that the area ``does not require the creation of a public park to preserve it.'' Congress was unwilling to proceed in the face of opposition from the executive branch due to the interests of mining, westward territorial mining, and land use. Harrison pushed on. He reintroduced the bill in 1883, again in 1886. And in 1903, the great conservationist Teddy Roosevelt visited the area he had advocated to protect. He declared that it is ``beyond comparison, beyond description,'' and ``unparalleled.'' ``Let this great wonder of nature remain as it is now. Do nothing to mar its grandeur. . . . You cannot improve upon it. But what you can do is keep it for your children, your children's children, and all who come after you.'' On February 26--on this very day--in 1919, President Wilson signed into law the Grand Canyon National Park Act, 101 years ago today. Mr. Speaker, let's make that choice again. We passed this bill with bipartisan support. I ask my colleagues to do it again, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to note one thing for the record because there is a reference from my colleague to amendments that she proceeded to make on this bill. There has been a lot of talk about local control and the support of communities back home. We received communications from various town commissioners regarding the amendments that my colleague proposed, and I will just give you a couple of examples of their responses. To simply classify this as a land grab is deeply disrespectful to those who have worked long and hard to gather the facts, negotiate, and compromise. The issues are too important to let parties divide us. That was a county commissioner from San Miguel. A commissioner from Routt County: The amendments were issued in a way that ignores our system of local control. They reject the liberty and freedom of local jurisdictions to express what is right and just within those jurisdictions. The communities impacted by the provisions in this bill support the protections that we are seeking to enact into law. That is why we are here. So with respect, I would again say we oppose the amendments that have been submitted in en bloc No. 2. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I would just note for the record with reference to ``Eastern colleagues,'' I represent the State of Colorado, my colleague, Representative DeGette, represents the State of Colorado, the vast majority of the sponsors of this bill represents Western States. My district is not all that far from the gentlewoman's district in New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette), the dean of our delegation.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton).

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of en bloc No. 1. These 18 amendments demonstrate the strong and bipartisan support for protecting our wilderness and our public lands. The amendments in this package include bipartisan legislation from Representatives McKinley and Tonko to unify the way National Heritage Areas are established and managed around the country. Other amendments would seek to improve the diversity and representation on our public lands, including the Great Dismal Swamp NHA, by Representative McEachin; ensuring all Americans have access to healthy outdoor recreation, especially in urban and low-income cities, such as the Outdoors for All Act by Representative Barragan; and promote outdoor recreation and wellness among servicemembers and veterans, which is pursued by the Brown amendment. We clarify also our intention regarding wilderness and wildfire with the inclusion of the Panetta amendment, and we even add some small number of wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, and mineral withdrawals with the inclusion of amendments from Representatives Spanberger, Pingree, and DeFazio, respectively. The inclusion of these amendments would not only improve the bill but improve protections for our public lands and environmental justice communities far beyond the places already covered in Colorado, California, Washington, and Arizona. Simply put, this amendment reinforces that our public lands are for the benefit and enjoyment of all Americans. I urge support for this en bloc No. 1, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my distinguished colleague from the State of Colorado (Mr. Crow).

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Keating).

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to en bloc No. 2. The amendments in this bloc run the gauntlet of ideological opposition to wilderness, public lands protections, and our efforts that respond to the climate crisis. The amendments are not a good-faith effort to attempt to improve the bill or work with the Democratic sponsors of the committee. They simply seek to outright reverse or fundamentally weaken the various designations proposed in this bill. In many cases, if these amendments were adopted and signed into law, the result would leave these areas with fewer protections than they currently have under the status quo. Now, I heard a lot of wide-ranging arguments against this bill from the distinguished ranking member, but let me just begin by responding to two points specifically: First, with respect to this notion of having local community support, I would simply say--and I welcome my colleague to come visit my district in the State of Colorado. I represent a district that is the size of New Jersey--far bigger than Delaware--10 counties, stretches all the way to the Wyoming border, Grand County, half of Eagle County, Summit County. I look forward to taking the ranking member to my district in Colorado and showing him these incredible places that we seek to protect, because I believe if he has a chance to visit them, I may be able to convince him of the same. I also just say, secondly, with respect to the process complaints, as I said yesterday, every title of this bill was heard, was marked up, passed out of committee, and passed this Chamber, on this floor in the 116th Congress--not once, twice. So I understand the gentleman's desire to have more amendments. I think it is a bit odd to be arguing that he is unable to amend the bill when he is literally debating the amendments that he is offering as they exist today, that we are proceeding to debate in this fashion. In any event, I will simply say that these amendments, as I said earlier, are not a good-faith attempt to improve this bill, and for that reason we would oppose them. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 147, I rise to offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. NEGUSE. The gentleman is correct, I do have an answer. The most common way is to drill. That is the most common way to assess geothermal and mineral resources. With much respect to the gentleman, because, again, I know his intent is sincere, but this amendment is not simply a study amendment. This study amendment, ultimately, if it were to succeed, would have the Interior Department drilling countless wells throughout these wilderness areas to ultimately ascertain the information that the distinguished gentleman seeks, and I just don't think that is a prudent way forward. I would say to the distinguished ranking member, with respect to the areas around the Grand Canyon, that the southwest United States, as I know some of my colleagues are certainly familiar, is littered with remnants of abandoned uranium mines and mill sites that poison the water and the air to this day, and those mines have hit Tribal nations the hardest. So you can understand why the distinguished chairman of our committee, Chairman Grijalva, would feel so compelled by local communities in the State that he represents to move forward with the Grand Canyon protections that are a part of this important wilderness package. Mr. Speaker, while I very much respect my colleague and look forward to working with him on future proposals, we respectfully oppose this amendment and would ask for a ``no'' vote. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to say, first, I appreciate the gentleman's remarks on this amendment. My friend from Utah, I know from our work together last Congress and this Congress and from our bipartisan work on the Congressional Wildfire Caucus that the gentleman is sincere in his intent that he, too, wants to help address the climate crisis and the threat that it poses to our communities, and I thank him for that. However, to that end, I would encourage the gentleman and his colleagues to continue to work with us across the aisle on opportunities to create clean, green, well-paying jobs for all Americans. Ultimately, I will be opposing the gentleman's amendment because I don't believe it is in the best interest of this particular legislation. As we have heard over the course of the debate this morning and yesterday, of course, on the bill, the various areas that are protected in this bill were included at the request of local communities who want to see these lands protected for future generations. One example, perhaps the most salient in my view, is the Thompson Divide region in my bill, the CORE Act, which has faced years of pressure to develop certain mineral interests that local stakeholders, including the ranching community, oppose. The largest individual withdrawal area in this bill actually surrounds the Grand Canyon, a region with few identified critical mineral resources, but one that I believe we can all agree is of enormous importance to the American public. That importance, that value of the Grand Canyon, as well as every area included in this bill, is ultimately why we are here today. It is why my colleagues have gone through years of painstaking work developing a consensus with those local communities to identify those lands of such exceptional value that they believe and the communities believe should be protected for future generations. The bottom line is this: We believe that some places should be set aside permanently from extraction because some landscapes, like the Grand Canyon, are simply too special to be mined, drilled, or excavated. Mr. Speaker, with that, I respectfully oppose the gentleman's amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.