Political Quotes

“While I disagree with my colleague, Mr. Tipton, on this particular issue, I do appreciate his friendship and his service to the House for many years. I would just offer three closing arguments. First, for those who argue that these public land measures should not be attached to the NDAA, there is certainly precedent for these type of provisions to be included in the NDAA. In fact, the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act by my colleague from Colorado, my good friend, was signed into law as a provision of the 2015 NDAA in the 113th Congress under a Republican-controlled House. So there is ample precedent. With respect to the HAATS issue, I would simply note that, in December of last year, the Department of Defense sent a letter to my Senate companion sponsor, Senator Michael Bennet, informing him that the Department had determined that: The land management designation in H.R. 823, the CORE Act, should not affect current or future military overflight in Colorado. Mr. Speaker, these bills have nothing to do with China or Kazakhstan and everything to do with protecting crown jewels here in the United States of America, the Grand Canyon and hundreds of thousands of acres of wilderness in my home State of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support these important public land designations and support the amendment being considered by the House. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”