Rep. Boebert Advocates for Colorado with Senior Biden Administration Officials
Washington, D.C.—This week, Representative Lauren Boebert advocated for local issues affecting Colorado and the Third Congressional District at multiple interactions with senior Biden administration officials.
Rep. Boebert stated: “I ran with the promise that the forgotten men and women of rural Colorado would be forgotten no more, and I fight every single day for the people who hired me to be their voice. I questioned Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on ways we can partner to move forward water storage projects and to ensure Coloradans are capturing more water to which we are entitled and made a strong case for keeping the Bureau of Land Management headquarters in Grand Junction. I secured a commitment from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to look into allowing farmers to receive insurance claims for crops lost to drought. I discussed active forest management policies to prevent catastrophic wildfires with U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. Finally, I made the case to Vice Admiral Ronald Boxall for keeping the U.S. Space Command in Colorado. I have put Colorado first from the day I took my oath, and that won’t ever change.”
Background:
Questioning Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland About the Drought and the Bureau of Land Management Headquarters in Grand Junction at a Natural Resources Hearing
Drought and wildfires are some of the biggest issues facing rural Colorado, so Rep. Boebert expressed her concern to Secretary Haaland that President Biden’s Department of the Interior budget proposal did not include funding for water storage projects that can help mitigate the crippling effects of the drought. Rep. Boebert secured a commitment from Secretary Haaland that the Department of the Interior will consider additional water storage as a tool, and Rep. Boebert looks forward to working with the Department as these projects are developed.
Additionally, Rep. Boebert expressed her concern that Secretary Haaland has not committed to keeping the Bureau of Land Management headquarters in Grand Junction. Keeping the Bureau in Grand Junction gives rural Coloradans a voice in the decisions that affect their daily lives. The Bureau’s move West has reduced the number of long cross-country flights, improved training, delegated more responsibility to employees in the field, improved customer service and coordination with local communities, ensured better decisions earlier in the decision-making process, reduced commute times for employees, provided good-paying local jobs, and saved taxpayer money.
Rep. Boebert reiterated her invitation to Secretary Haaland to visit the Bureau of Land Management’s Grand Junction headquarters to see the impact that having decision-makers close to the lands they manage is having on local stakeholders. The bipartisan effort to keep the Bureau in Grand Junction is supported by Governor Jared Polis, Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, and Congressman Joe Neguse as well as countless other stakeholders and Members of Congress throughout the country.
Questioning Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack at a Western Caucus Forum
Rep. Boebert asked USDA Secretary Vilsack to work with her to help mitigate the effects of western drought on western farmers. When talking to folks back home, Rep. Boebert has been asked about a provision that was put into the 2018 Farm Bill pertaining to the loss of crops from drought conditions. Farmers have told Rep. Boebert that because of this provision they can no longer claim crop losses from drought. Rep. Boebert flagged this issue for the Secretary and secured a commitment from him that the USDA would look into getting it fixed.
Questioning U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen at Natural Resources Committee Members Meeting
Rep. Boebert informed U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen that there are more than 50 large wildfires burning in the West and five large fires in Colorado’s Third Congressional District. The Forest Service is struggling to meet its 4 Billion Board Foot target and sold just over 430 Million Board Feet in the first quarter. This is down 10% from last fiscal year. The 4 Billion Board Foot timber sale level is only at about 66% of the harvest levels permitted in the current forest plan. Rep. Boebert discussed the Forest Service’s plans to increase the amount of timber harvested and to use active forest management to mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
Rep. Boebert previously scored a victory for active forest management when her amendment was passed with unanimous bipartisan support through the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Questioning Vice Admiral Ronald Boxall at a Budget Committee Hearing
Rep. Boebert has previously stood up for keeping Space Command in Colorado, and she questioned Vice Admiral Ronald Boxall about the Department of Defense’s decision-making behind the proposed move to Alabama and informed him of a study that found keeping Space Command in CO will save taxpayers more than $1.2 billion and get the command to full mission capability 7 years faster.