Manuel Lujan: “My colleague from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) in the previous debate, had some incredible charts that he was displaying. In it…”

“My colleague from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) in the previous debate, had some incredible charts that he was displaying. In it, he proclaimed: The rocks shall set you free. I was born and raised, and my faith taught me, that the truth shall set you free, Mr. Chairman. I was also taught that people are entitled to their own opinions, Mr. Chairman, but not their own facts. If my colleague from Arizona participated in those hearings, as he said he did, he heard the witnesses from the Bureau of Land Management, the witness from the Bureau of Land Management in this direct question about the rights of Navajo allottees being taken away. Some of my Republican colleagues will argue that protecting Chaco will impact the Navajo allottees' right to develop valid rights. This is blatantly false. Let the silence sit in. It is false. The Bureau of Land Management testified before Congress and said that this legislation ``would not affect Tribal interests or allottees.'' Mr. Chairman, it is critically important that we have a conversation about the importance of protecting Chaco. While we have taken steps to defend Chaco, Chaco is at risk of being hurt, of being desecrated, of being destroyed. That is why we have come together.…”