Political Quotes

“as a former county commissioner, I rise in strong support of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025. Since the National Forest System was created, nearly 200 million acres of rural America have been put aside for conservation, recreation, and responsible natural resource development, like mining and timber harvesting. When these acres were put aside, rural communities lost their access to this land for settlement and economic development. To compensate these communities, they were supposed to receive a portion of the revenue the Federal Government generated from responsible resource development to help fund things like schools and rural roads. Today, thanks to endless litigation and opposition from environmental groups, responsible development like mining and timber harvesting is nearly impossible. Our rural communities are losing jobs, economic activity, and their share of Federal revenues from this development. The Secure Rural Schools program was created to help offset that. Today, the Secure Rural Schools program provides nearly $7 million a year to rural communities across Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District. While we should really be taking action to encourage and allow responsible mining and timber harvesting within our national forests, providing this relief is the next best thing. This is a vital lifeline for rural America that the American people owe to them. We must reauthorize it.”