Rob Bishop: “This is talking about 200 acres of public property that needs to be used by a national cemetery that was created back in…”

“This is talking about 200 acres of public property that needs to be used by a national cemetery that was created back in 1948 as the final resting place of people who gave their last and gave their all for the defense of this country. It includes the final resting place of Medal of Honor Recipient Sergeant Charles Winthrop. A memorial to Korean war veterans is there. And 16 years ago, it was made part of the National Cemetery System. It is significant that we are doing this particular process right now. I think it is important that both the Bureau of Land Management and the Veterans Affairs Department are both in support of this transfer, because this illustrates not only the significance of this cemetery and what it allows people to do, to honor those who have given their all for this Nation, but it allows us to have the proper use of public lands. Here are now 200 acres of public land that is going to be used for a public purpose, and that is the reason you have public lands in the first place. If this 200 acres were simply to sit there with nothing to do, then there is no reason for anybody to own it in the first place. But having public lands now used for a public purpose that elevates, enlightens, and ennobles us is how you are supposed to be using public lands. So I am appreciative of Representative Noem for introducing this bill on several occasions. The last time it actually came to this floor, we voted on it.…”