Jodey Arrington: “Private property rights are a cornerstone of our democracy and our free society. That doesn't just extend to folks in…”

“Private property rights are a cornerstone of our democracy and our free society. That doesn't just extend to folks in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma. It extends to all Americans and our Tribal brothers and sisters. One of them who testified at one of the hearings, who is a member of the Navajo Nation, said that this is a steadfast personal property right that sustains our livelihoods and our way of life. This is a much-needed source of income to feed, shelter, clothe, and protect our families. Mr. Chairman, this is unnecessary. This is one of those times where Washington thinks it has the solution, where we sit in our ivory tower and dictate the terms to folks living in rural communities in New Mexico and throughout the country, folks that depend on these energy jobs for their livelihoods, and I just trust that the local community and the great State of New Mexico knows best how to manage their resources. This is not disturbing any sacred land or historic artifacts. That is not what this is about. This is about a protectionist, activist view to ban drilling, in my opinion. And the State of New Mexico is incredibly dependent on the oil and gas revenues, Mr. Chairman. A third of their budget, Mr. Chairman, is reliant on oil and gas royalties. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment. I think it is critical to make sure that our colleagues know that Washington doesn't have the solutions. Mr.…”