Editorial

I recently submitted Congressionally Directed Spending requests for constructing the I-70 Cottonwood Pass Blue Hill Project to help prevent lengthy and costly I-70 closures; building Glenwood Springs’ South Bridge Project to provide critical evacuation access; extending Pueblo’s Medal of Honor Boulevard to reduce commuter times and improve public safety; building important water distribution infrastructure for the City of Craig; building Gunnison’s water treatment plant to supply clean water; renovating Silt’s water plant to improve drinking water; increasing water storage in Huerfano County; improving US Highway 160 in Bayfield; building a new interchange on I-70 at 29 Road in Grand Junction to improve mobility and public safety; and increasing water storage and constructing a critical water supply in Moffat County.

The science is clear, the gray wolf is fully recovered. For too long, activist judges and environmentalists have weaponized the Endangered Species Act to lock up our land and regulate private property rights. The gray wolf listing has led to countless killings of livestock and pets. I am working to put people ahead of violent predators. Farmers and ranchers have been left powerless to defend their livestock for too long.

Today, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability will hold its first hearing on what was, by all accounts, one of the largest scams in American history. We’re meeting to investigate the fraudulent allocation of emergency assistance during the COVID pandemic. Or in layman’s terms — the Feds were scammed out of a boatload of COVID money, and we’re demanding accountability.

I helped lead the negotiations to end business as usual in Washington D.C. Nineteen of my colleagues and I spearheaded rigorous debate about the broken rules and processes in Congress. We were successful and made historic, once in a generation, improvements to this body.

First, conservatives support policies that grow the economy, not inflation. Second, conservatives are for a secure southern border. Third, conservatives want to lower gas prices and energy costs. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, we conservatives support safe communities.

I introduced legislation to call fentanyl what it is: a weapon of mass destruction. My bill will deploy sensors to detect fentanyl and use analytical, data-based decision-making to support law enforcement on the ground. This additional support will assist our brave men and women of law enforcement who are on the front lines to interdict deadly fentanyl pouring into our communities.

Winter is coming and Biden’s energy crisis is going to make the cost to heat your home outrageously unaffordable. We don’t need new spending or subsidies to secure American energy independence. We need the right policies. We need the Trump administration’s policies. Unleashing American energy will decrease gas prices, decrease the unemployment rate, reduce inflation, and protect our national security interests. I introduced the Fueling American Prosperity Act and the Protecting American Energy Jobs Act to nullify and defund Biden’s energy-killing executive orders, restart energy leasing, and get America back on track to energy dominance. It is time to drill, baby, drill!