Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Western Economic Security Today Act of 2023, or the WEST Act. My bill, as has been discussed, would require the Bureau of Land Management to withdraw their proposal regulating conservation of landscape health. Utah's farmers and ranchers for generations have worked on this land, leaving it better than they found it. They understand how to live in a way that strengthens the landscape but allows for them to provide for their family and their community. I like to tease them that they are the original environmentalists. They don't always like that term. Ironically, this rule also undermines the work of these individuals who keep the land in good health and help prevent the risk of wildfires to instead lock the public out of Utah's lands. Let me be clear: I have immense respect for Utah's local land managers who do their best with the resources they have. I appreciate their commitment to integrating into each unique community and working hard to find consensus. They are not the problem. The problem is Washington politicians who think they know better than the generations of families who actually live in Utah. The question isn't whether or not we want to protect these lands but who gets to make the decisions. Since coming to Congress, one of my favorite experiences has been connecting with Utah's rural communities. They give so much and ask for so little.…”