Political Quotes

“I rise to join my fellow Coloradans, my colleagues in the United States Congress and others across the country in celebration of Native American Heritage Month. Throughout this month we acknowledge the many accomplishments and contributions of the American Indian community in the United States. In Colorado, from the windswept plains in the east to mountains and plateaus in the west, Native American history has formed a strong part of our shared history. Today Colorado's native communities play an equally strong role in preserving our shared cultural heritage. Just this month, as the chairman of the National Parks Subcommittee of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I held a hearing at Mesa Verde National Park that highlighted the importance of how this cultural landmark and others in the region can be better protected through cooperative efforts of our National Parks System and the region's tribes. Improved collaboration and consultation can be a positive step in achieving the goal of protecting these invaluable resources. Tribes have also worked independently to conserve and protect cultural resources that are important to our shared past. A strong example of these efforts has taken shape over many years in Southwestern Colorado where the Ute Mountain Ute tribe has worked to protect acres of sacred and historically important sites that are connected to the cultural resources that exist within Mesa Verde National Park.…”