Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1937, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act. This commonsense legislation will streamline the permitting process and allow for better coordination amongst the relevant State and Federal agencies in order to foster economic growth, create jobs, and ensure a robust domestic supply of strategic and critical minerals. People have been digging in Arizona for precious metals for centuries. In the 1850s, nearly one in every four people in Arizona was a miner. Without a doubt, mining fueled the growth that makes Arizona the State it is today. In fact, it is part of the five Cs that built Arizona with copper. {time} 1345 Today, the Arizona mining industry is alive. Minerals such as copper, coal, gold, uranium, lime, and potash are still mined throughout my district, but not at the levels they used to be. These projects employ hundreds of my constituents with high-paying jobs, jobs that pay over $50,000 to $60,000 a year, plus benefits. In rural Arizona, these types of jobs are few and far between. As I meet with companies that do business throughout my State, the message is clear: we could do better. The length, complexity, and uncertainty of the permitting process is stymieing development and discouraging investors from committing to U.S. mining.…”