Gabe Vasquez: “Mr. Speaker, I do want to thank Chair Westerman for his support of the Fix Our Forests Act, introducing that bill, and I…”

“Mr. Speaker, I do want to thank Chair Westerman for his support of the Fix Our Forests Act, introducing that bill, and I hope that it does make it to the Senate. I think as we talk about the longevity of rural communities and sustainability of rural communities, we have to have good forest management and a diversified economy that includes the timber industry, cattle growing, and outdoor recreation. So much of that depends on the health of our public lands. I am encouraged by the bipartisanship shown on this bill today. I hope we can have more conversations and we can pass SRS out of the House today so that we can ensure that these rural communities have a future that is not dependent on Federal funding but that has a diversified economy that uses our natural resources wisely.”