Orrin Hatch: “I rise to express my enthusiastic support for S. 455, the Payments in Lieu of Taxes [PILT] Program Act, and I strongly…”

“I rise to express my enthusiastic support for S. 455, the Payments in Lieu of Taxes [PILT] Program Act, and I strongly encourage my colleagues to adopt this important piece of legislation. Passage of this measure would be a tremendous boost to counties all across our Nation that have large portions of Federal lands within their boundaries and that struggle under the financial burden of providing services to those who visit and recreate on these lands. My colleague from Utah mentioned Daggett County, located in the far western corner of our State, with less than 700 people. And, yet, 2.5 million people visit that county, and local officials have to provide all services to these visitors. They are in despair. They do not know what to do. The Federal Government does not pay any taxes. They do not pay anything for those lands, and we are stuck out in the West having the Federal Government in control of them. I am an original cosponsor of S. 455, and I have been a longtime supporter of the PILT Program.”