Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Delta County Sheriff Fred McKee of Gunnison, Colorado for his steadfast service to his community as he prepares for retirement. For Sheriff McKee, service to his country started early. He spent three years in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany. Shortly after his military service ended, his 40-year career as a law enforcement officer in Colorado began.

He started as a dispatcher and detention officer with the Rio Grande County Sheriff's Office and in 1991, he was appointed Undersheriff of Rio Grande County Sheriff's Office. As a result of his commitment to the community, Sheriff McKee was awarded the San Luis Peace Officer of the year award.

Early in 2000, the spread of methamphetamine reached epidemic levels in the Seventh Judicial District, where Sheriff McKee worked. He was instrumental in the implementation and ultimate success of the Seventh Judicial Drug Task Force that fought the use and distribution of methamphetamine. Sheriff McKee worked tirelessly for the Seventh Judicial Drug Task Force, and he also saw the importance of helping those who were addicted receive treatment.

With the assistance of Colorado Attorney General John Struthers, Sheriff McKee helped to create a comprehensive community response plan to combat and prevent methamphetamine use in 2006, which came to be known as ``The Delta Model.'' He and his officers' hard work on this project led to their national recognition for this innovative program. Today, the program is still running strong thanks to Sheriff McKee's hard work and is now known as ``Drug Free Delta County''.

Throughout his career, Sheriff McKee made a name for himself in the law enforcement community and with the citizens of Delta County for being fair, honest and involved. Sheriff McKee is not only successful in his professional life, but his personal life as well. Sheriff McKee and his wife Julie, of 46 years, have raised two children, Landon and Shanda, and have been blessed with six grandchildren that keep them busy every day.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Third Congressional District of Colorado, I would like to thank Sheriff McKee for his commitment to justice and service in Colorado. I wish him luck as he enjoys a well- earned retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Colorado Mesa University for its receipt of the President's ``E'' Award for 2018. The ``E'' Award is the nation's highest recognition bestowed on those making significant contributions toward expanding American exports.

Institutions of higher education who have received the award are often represented by larger, internationally well-known universities. With an enrollment of just under 11,000, Colorado Mesa University, located in the relatively small city of Grand Junction, Colorado, has demonstrated its ability to compete with the biggest and best in the nation.

Through its International Student Admissions and Programs office, Colorado Mesa University has steadily increased the number of international students enrolled, representing over 30 different countries. While completing their studies, these students contribute significantly to the local economy, but importantly, they also develop local relationships and an appreciation of the many goods and services offered from our nation's smaller communities and the small businesses that call them home.

When these students return to their home countries and begin their professional careers, those relationships forged during their studies can translate into export opportunities for small businesses in Grand Junction and many other small communities in America, who, despite their rich potential, are all too often overlooked. Colorado Mesa University serves an invaluable role in putting Grand Junction, Colorado on the international map and creating new and exciting opportunities for local businesses.

Mr. Speaker, Colorado Mesa University has shown that rural America and our nation's many wonderful small and mid-size colleges can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their urban and larger counterparts in growing American exports. I am honored to recognize their achievement of the President's ``E'' Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Richard ``Dick'' Lindsay of the Third Congressional District for his lifelong commitment to service.

Mr. Lindsay was born and raised in Cortez, Colorado and is one of nine siblings. His service began in July 1943 when he enlisted in the United States Navy, at the age of 17-years-old, to serve in World War II. While stationed in California for boot camp, he was trained in landing aircraft and completed his training with a rank of Seaman First Class.

During his service, he was assigned to the USS Bingham where he contributed to the ship's efforts to provide supplies to troops across the Pacific. While deployed on the USS Bingham, he traveled to Hawaii, Japan, the Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Saipan, and Guam. In Japan, Mr. Lindsay saw action at the Battle of Okinawa, Operation Magic Carpet, and took part in amphibious warfare training.

Three years later, in June 1946, Mr. Lindsay transferred to the U.S. Navy Reserve, and was able to return home to complete his high school degree. Just a few years later, he met a woman named Nelda, they fell in love, and together they started a family and went on to open The Flower Cottage in Cortez, which they have run together since 1960.

Since then, he has been heavily involved within the Cortez community, spending countless hours volunteering for the Lions Club, American Legion, Elks Club, and coaching Little League baseball. Mr. Lindsay has worked

with local organizations to build the golf course, ball fields, and fairgrounds. Just a few years ago, Mr. Lindsay participated in an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. where he had the opportunity to see the World War II Memorial for the first time alongside his fellow comrades in arms.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Third Congressional District of Colorado, I would like thank Mr. Lindsay for his dedication to the Cortez community and our nation. He has led an exemplary life and Cortez is proud to have Mr. Lindsay as one of its sons.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate high school students from Colorado's Third District who were recently accepted by the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists and the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists. These students will represent Colorado as delegates to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders and the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders this summer at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

All of the delegates were nominated by their teachers or the Academy based on academic success and a proven desire to enter the medical or science and technology professions. Some delegates have been chosen for partial and full academic scholarships by school administrators, based on their leadership ability, achievement, and dedication.

The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists accepted three high school honor students from the Third Congressional District:

Trinity Castleman (Hayden, CO)

Madeline Dunn (Pueblo, CO)

Katelyn Jessop (Rye, CO)

The National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists accepted two high school honor students from the Third Congressional District:

Marlee Anderson (Durango, CO)

Austin Green (Dove Creek, CO)

Both Academies offer free services and programs to students that include online social networks, opportunities for students to be guided and mentored by leaders in the academic field of their interest, internships, career guidance, and communications on college acceptance.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize these fine young men and women for their hard work that led to their nominations and acceptance. I stand with the residents of Colorado's Third Congressional District in commending them on their accomplishment and I wish them luck as they prepare for the summer.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding.

This is really about creating jobs on American soil, creating opportunities, literally, for our families to be able to have better prospects for the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to be able to talk about, not only America, but the world's energy future. In my district of Colorado, we benefit from vast energy resources. In 2016, we learned that one of these resources, natural gas, has even greater potential than initially thought.

The U.S. Geological Survey announced that the Mancos shale formation in Piceance Basin had the potential to be the second largest natural gas deposit in the United States. The abundance of natural gas in western Colorado puts us in the unique position to be able to create jobs here at home and also to supply American allies with reliable sources of energy well into the future.

For too long, our Nation's adversaries have supplied America's allies with energy resources. We cannot let countries like Russia lead in the global energy market when the U.S. has the resources to be able to supply countries in Europe and Asia with affordable and reliable energy.

Last year I called on the administration to examine a project that would allow for the U.S. to send LNG to Asian markets. The proposed Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline would transfer the natural gas from Piceance Basin in western Colorado to the Jordan Cove terminal in Coos Bay, Oregon.

The Jordan Cove terminal is estimated to have the capacity to be able to transport 7.8 million metric tons of LNG annually to the Pacific Northwest and Asia. Unfortunately, under the previous administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied the application for the Jordan Cove project, citing a lack of global demand. Not long after the application was denied, Jordan Cove procured an agreement for 75 percent of the pipeline's capacity, proving that there is demand for U.S. LNG in Asia.

It is my hope that FERC will soon approve the resubmitted application for the Jordan Cove project and we can bring good-paying jobs to western Colorado and send clean, affordable, and reliable energy to Asia.

As the U.S. works to advance technologies that decrease the environmental footprint of energy production, it cannot be ignored that countries like China and India continue to be some of the world's top polluters. We can responsibly develop U.S. natural gas resources to be able to benefit communities across our Nation and by transporting our energy resources to countries around the globe. The United States can have a measurable impact on the economies and environmental health of communities overseas.

The United States cannot sit back and let other countries lead the world into the energy future. The time for responsible development of natural gas is now and to be able to create jobs here at home.

Mr. Speaker, with the opioid and heroin crisis, the American people are currently facing one of the worst drug epidemics in our Nation's history. My State of Colorado is certainly not immune.

In my travels throughout the Third Congressional District, from Pueblo to Moffat County, up and down the west slope, through the San Luis Valley, I hear of more lives lost with each passing year. Opioid addiction knows no bounds, and even the most innocent have been affected.

This last year, when I toured Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo, Colorado, and visited the unit that treats babies who are born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, which means that they were exposed to opiates before they were born and suffer withdrawal at the moment of birth, you see a truly heartbreaking situation. To see the most vulnerable suffering from withdrawal symptoms is something that touches the heart of every American. But it also served as a reminder that we must be more aggressive and more inventive in our efforts to be able to end this epidemic.

Opioid abuse is multifaceted, and there is not just one solution that will solve this problem. That is why I have held more than 30 opioid roundtables in various communities throughout my district, to be able to hear from healthcare providers, law enforcement officers, and first responders on the front lines of the fight against addiction; to learn how the Federal Government can play a better role in supporting those efforts.

In these roundtables, I have learned that opioid abuse often begins in the last place that you would expect it to: the doctor's office or a hospital emergency room. For example, a person who sprained their ankle while skiing may go to their doctor to be receiving pain medication for their injury. This medication may provide relief from the pain, but it can also provide an intense sense of euphoria. From there, there is the possibility that an addiction is born.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, of those who began using opioids in the 2000s, a whopping 75 percent reported that their first opioid was a prescription drug.

Colorado has the 12th highest rate of abuse of prescription opioids across the Nation. In response to the rising number of Coloradans becoming addicted through prescribed opioids, the Colorado Hospital Association launched a pilot program in 10 hospital emergency departments across the State with the goal of reducing prescribed opioids by 15 percent. This program was so successful that it actually achieved a 36 percent reduction.

I am glad that, this week, the House passed a series of more than 20 bills in a bipartisan effort to curb opioid addiction. Included in this series was the bill I was proud to help introduce called the Alternatives to Opioids in the Emergency Department Act. This bill would allow programs similar to the one in Colorado to be tested in hospital emergency departments across the Nation, helping to ensure that people who do not need opioids are never exposed to them in the first place.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here proud of the collective work accomplished in the House this week, but recognizing that this crisis will not be solved overnight, and we still have a long road ahead. It is not an issue that is going to be solved solely by the Federal Government. It is going to take a collaborative effort with our States, our local governments, and our families as well in addressing this problem.

We must continue to work together to end the stigma surrounding opioid abuse and find innovative solutions that will end this crisis for good.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Southern Colorado Soap Box Derby and the individuals--participants, parents and organizers--who have made it an enriching community event to look forward to. On July 8, 1937, boys ages 9-12 entered cars they designed out of soap boxes, wood and metal for the very first Southern Colorado Soap Box Derby, which took place on West Street in Pueblo, Colorado. At the end of this event, the first place winner was sent to compete in the national championship in Akron, Ohio.

One year later in 1938, the races stopped due to World War II. They began again almost 20 years later in 1962, this time taking place on Constitution Hill with 62 racers ages 9-15. With the help of 28 orphans from Sacred Heart Home and Youth Center and several convicts of the Colorado State Penitentiary, all of the derby cars were successfully built by race time. The revived competition led to some new additions, one being the implementation of a Derby Queen who was chosen from the list of names submitted by the racers. The very first Derby Queen was Sharon Galbraith of Pueblo.

As the race evolved, by 1966 standard wheels and steering assemblies were required to give equal opportunity to all racers. Joplin Hill on Pueblo's east side was determined to be the best hill for gravity and the competition moved once again. Boys from communities including Pueblo, Denver, Boulder, Greeley and Loveland traveled to participate in the derby competition. Attendance steadily increased, ranging from a few hundred to 5,000 spectators.

Unfortunately, three years later, the derby was once more on the brink of shutting down due to a lack of funding. Only one more race was scheduled to be held. This lack of funding threatened derby winner Steve Espinosa's chances of going to the national competition in Ohio. However, thanks to the generosity of the Pueblo Star Journal and radio station KKAM's manager Dwight Shaw, enough funds were donated to send Steve to Ohio.

In 2006 after a long 37 years, the Southern Colorado Soap Box Derby started up again and has been held every year since. In that time, many positive changes have been instituted to be more inclusive, fair and safe: it's now open to both girls and boys ages 7-21; all derby cars have been built from a kit with strict adherence to all nuts and bolts; and contestants must qualify for one of three divisions to race. Since 2006, the highlight of each race has been Officer Randy Belisle of the Colorado State Patrol using his radar gun to clock the speed of each racer as he or she comes down the hill. With speeds ranging from 28 to 31 mph, Officer Belisle then issues each racer a ``ticket'' for speeding.

Mr. Speaker, the Southern Colorado Soap Box Derby is a fun and important part of the culture and history of Pueblo, Colorado. Throughout the years, this great event has enhanced community engagement and served as a way to teach youth the skills of workmanship and perseverance to complete the task at hand. I look forward to watching the races and I wish all the contestants good luck.

Madam Speaker, I supported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act because, as a former small-business owner, I know the immense challenges a complex Tax Code can present to business owners, workers, and families alike.

When H.R. 1 was signed into law, it opened the door to a new era of prosperity for Colorado and for our country, and the evidence is all around us:

We have already seen over 1 million jobs created;

Hundreds of companies have contributed $4 billion in bonuses, impacting over 4 million workers;

The unemployment rate is at the lowest level that we have seen in a half a century; and

Small business optimism has hit an all-time high.

In Alamosa, Colorado, a small town in my district, tax reform has helped First Southwest Bank stay in town and provide financial services products to its community, a key driver of economic growth and success in smaller towns around the country.

As CEO Kent Curtis said after the passage of tax reform: ``We're excited to take advantage of the tax reform and give the positive impact it has on First Southwest Bank right back to our team members and the rural Colorado community. By being able to provide a higher living wages to our starting employees and invest in our team, we can be a catalyst for economic growth and reaffirm our commitment to a better quality of life in all of the rural Colorado communities our branches serve.''

First Southwest Bank has raised its starting wage to $14 an hour plus full benefits, a major success for a small community in southwest Colorado.

It is exactly businesses like this that are committed to their communities and to their neighbors that this historic tax reform package was intended to help.

Increased wages, along with changes to the tax bracket and standard deduction, mean Coloradans across the Third District have higher earning potential and can keep more of their hard-earned money, which spells economic growth. These improvements can help families take a vacation to one of our beloved national parks, put a down payment on a new car or a home, or be able to pay medical expenses.

Madam Speaker, the effects of this monumental tax reform effort are felt right here at home, and I am proud of the Coloradans who are working so hard to be able to improve their lives because of the opportunity this legislation has presented.

If I may, I would like to give you one personal story. I was in my hometown, and I had the opportunity to be able to go to a local restaurant. The young lady who was a server has two children. She went out of her way to come up and tell me that the extra $50 to $60 per week that she is getting in her paycheck is making a real difference in her family's life.

I told her there is better news actually coming, because when she gets ready to file those taxes this coming April 15, she is going to find that her personal exemption has doubled and that for her children, that child tax credit that she has counted on has doubled as well, putting more resources back into the pockets of the people who earn that money.

As my colleague from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert) pointed out, when we put those resources back to work, back to work in that American economy, we find that it yields what many of our colleagues on the left would like to see more of: tax revenues coming into the government to be able to provide some of the essential services that we all know that we need.

But we need to be the country that is creating that fertile soil to be able to grow businesses, to be able to create opportunity for the future, and to be able to deliver on that promise for the American Dream for all of our children. This is a program and a policy that works on behalf of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, for too long, there has been a culture of disregard for our community financial institutions out of Washington,

Mr. Chairman, I think that we have actually found some common ground when our colleague is saying, let's use science.

Effectively, that is what we are talking about with this amendment, to be able to have analysis, to be able to have project planning.

Let me give you a real-life example in southwestern Colorado: the West Fork Complex fire, which erupted because we had trees growing not at the elevation that they should, overgrowth in our forest that resulted in a massive fire.

I would suggest that if you care about endangered species, if you care about protecting our waterways, if you care about having an abundant resource to be able to develop to be able to support our schools through the rural school programs as well, this is an opportunity to be able to create those healthy forests and to be able to move forward with good commonsense planning that is going to be provided by this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I encourage the passage of the amendment and applaud Mr. Westerman's efforts on this.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, West Fork is in a remote part of Dolores County, Colorado, surrounded by the San Juan National Forest. Emergency and fire response is a challenge in this part of the county because the closest fire station is currently 26 miles away.

The amendment I have offered would authorize the Forest Service to convey approximately 3.6 acres of National Forest System land to Dolores County for the strict purpose of building and operating a fire station in the West Fork area.

In addition to creating emergency and fire response challenges, the lack of a dedicated fire station has created insurance challenges for homeowners in West Fork. In an area surrounded by the national forestland, it is critical to have fire insurance for your home and other structures on your property. With no fire station in reasonable proximity to the area, it is nearly impossible for homeowners to obtain fire insurance in West Fork.

The text of this amendment is identical to the West Fork Fire Station Act, which passed the House by a voice vote last month. I encourage my colleagues to once again support this measure as an amendment to H.R. 2.

I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the Tri-County Health Network of Telluride, Colorado and Families Plus of Delta, Colorado for providing exceptional health care to those living in the Third District's rural communities. As a result of their hard work, the Health Resources and Services Administration recently named Tri-County Health Network as a Champion of Information Dissemination and Families Plus as a Champion of Innovation in Health Care Delivery.

Both awardees were recognized for going above and beyond in providing their communities with access to excellent health care as well as developing innovative strategies and implementing evidence-based practice models that help to improve the quality of health care. They were also noticed for their exceptional job in expanding their work outside their individual organizations through mentoring, coaching, and partnerships.

One of the greatest challenges families in rural Colorado face is a lack of access to health care providers and services. Both Tri-County Health Network and Families Plus have gone above and beyond to fill this void and I am happy to see Tri-County Health Network and Families Plus recognized for their efforts.

Mr. Speaker, Tri-County Health Network and Families Plus exemplary performance in the field of healthcare is incredibly valuable to the communities in our state. We are thankful for their continued efforts to improve the lives of those living in the Third Congressional District and I stand with all Coloradans in thanking them for their work and service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Pueblo South High School Colts for winning the Colorado High School State Football Championship.

The Colts' thrilling 25 to 15 victory over the Pine Creek High School Eagles, the defending state champion, is the first time in the history of the program that the Pueblo South High School football team won a state championship title.

Further cementing Pueblo as the state's High School Football powerhouse, 2017 marked the fourth year in a row that a team from Pueblo claimed a state championship. East High School in Pueblo won the previous three Class 3A state championships and Pueblo Centennial High School won 25 years prior. This was also the first 4A state title for Pueblo since Pueblo West won in 2007. The city has a long history of athletic excellence and I am proud to see the Colts join the ranks of their fellow competitors.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to offer my sincere congratulations to the Pueblo South High School football team for their great accomplishment. For many of the teams' players, this win is the achievement of a goal they have worked hard towards for years. I commend their coaches and each member of the team for their sportsmanship and competitive spirit. I look forward to watching them succeed as they continue their bright academic and athletic careers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Michelle Thomas, a teacher with the Independence Academy Charter School in Grand Junction, Colorado, for her recent selection as a Teacher Liaison Officer for the Space Foundation. The Space Foundation chose Michelle for her active promotion of space and science education in her school and community.

Michelle was chosen for this position following a rigorous selection process conducted by a panel of space industry experts. She was one of 31 people across the globe who were nominated for this position, and she will join 250 other active Teacher Liaisons.

As a Teacher Liaison Officer she will receive Space Foundation training and resources, take part in specialized NASA workshops, and take on more educational responsibility. This opportunity will allow Michelle to expand her institutional space-based knowledge, further implement space education into her classroom, and in turn elevate her student's education.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Michelle for her accomplishment. Her talent, hard work, and commitment, has led to her selection as a Teacher Liaison Officer and I have no doubt she will take what she learns from the Space Foundation and give back to her students and the Grand Junction community. I stand with the people of the Colorado's Third Congressional District in commending her for her achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman McClintock and also Representative Hanabusa for their support on this important piece of legislation, which ultimately creates a win not only for the local community property rights, but also for our forest system, as well, in the event of a catastrophic wildfire breaking out.

West Fork is in a remote part of Dolores County, Colorado, surrounded by the San Juan National Forest. Emergency and fire response is a challenge in this part of the county because the closest fire station is currently 26 miles away. The West Fork Fire Station Act conveys approximately 3.6 acres of National Forest System land to Dolores County for the strict purpose of building and operating a fire station in the West Fork area.

In addition to creating emergency and fire response challenges, the lack of a dedicated fire station has created insurance challenges for homeowners in West Fork. In an area surrounded by national forest land, it is critical to have fire insurance for your home and other structures on your property. With no fire station in reasonable proximity to the area, it is near impossible for homeowners to obtain fire insurance in West Fork. My bill would help change that.

The West Fork fire station will be operated by a volunteer fire department, men and women who dedicate their time, talent, and often put the safety of their community and neighbors ahead of their own. I greatly appreciate their service to the county.

I also commend Dolores County for working along with local property owners and the surrounding fire districts to obtain necessary firefighting equipment for the volunteers who would serve the West Fork fire station.

Dolores County, Colorado, U.S. Senators Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet, along with the U.S. Forest Service all support the West Fork Fire Station Act.

The bill passed out of the Natural Resources Committee with a unanimous vote. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues in the House to support this bill and the community of West Fork today.

Mr. Speaker, the regulatory relief bill that passed the Senate just a few short weeks ago was crafted to get past the 60-vote cloture threshold. Our Senate colleagues are now asking the House to pass that deal without amendment because they don't have an interest in voting on the measure again.

That is not the legislative process envisioned by the Framers of the Constitution and demonstrates a disregard for the policy work of the people's House.

The House Financial Services Committee has worked tirelessly to pass bipartisan bills that will provide necessary regulatory relief to Main Street America.

Chairman Hensarling has identified 15 commonsense bills that passed out of the Financial Services Committee with broad bipartisan support and have the support of the ranking member. Yet some in the Senate continue to insist that any amendment to legislation is inadmissible.

While I support the goal of providing much-needed relief to our community banks and credit unions, I believe we should take a more thoughtful and inclusive approach that considers the will of the people as represented in this body.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the leadership in the House, as well as Chairman Hensarling, for fighting for the bipartisan policy initiatives of the Members of this Chamber in the regulatory relief process.