Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose H.R. 3397, legislation that would require the Bureau of Land Management to withdraw a finalized Biden administration rule that expands conservation on Federal land. The rhetoric surrounding the BLM final rule has claimed it is nothing more than a mere land grab by the Federal Government, which could not be further from the truth. The final rule is an avenue to conserving not only our public lands but also Tribal sacred sites and cultural resources. The final rule allows sacred sites and cultural resources to be placed under conservation leases for preservation and protection. It is a step in the right direction to strengthen cultural prevention. The United States has a shameful history of dispossession of land through Federal policy, statutes, and cultural and physical violence inflicted upon indigenous peoples, such as the Indian Removal Act and the dissolution of Tribal governments and reservations under the termination era. Our government's past actions were not only a land grab from indigenous peoples but left a lasting impact on the generations to come. These policies have led to many Tribal communities losing access to sacred sites, traditional foods, medicine, and resources, and they have led to intergenerational trauma. As Members of Congress, we have an obligation to uphold the trust and treaty responsibility.…”