On the recordSeptember 7, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce). So often we hear from people here on this floor from the other side of the aisle talking about how much they care about the children, for the children, for the children. And I know, in my district, we have counties that have national forests. There is no tax base, as Mr. Pearce points out. You can't tax it when they are not producing the renewable resource of timber. These aren't sequoias. These are not redwoods. These are just pine trees that grow back every 15 or 20 years or so. And the schools are hurting, the local governments are hurting, but the children suffer because of the Federal Government's usurping the land, failing to utilize it, and leaving people high and dry. We had a hearing. I learned a lot, and I was pleased that my friend, Mr. Hardy, had requested the hearing because I learned a lot. I yield to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Hardy).
