[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 124 (Monday, July 24, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S4124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Bernhardt 
nomination, which the clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of David 
Bernhardt, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah.
  Mr. HATCH. Madam President, July 24 marks a significant milestone in 
the history of my home State of Utah. On this day, 170 years ago, 
Brigham Young and the Mormon pioneers first entered the Salt Lake 
Valley. Facing violence and discrimination at every turn, Utah's early 
settlers crossed the Nation in search of a land where they could 
practice their religion free from prejudice and abuse. In the cradle of 
the Rocky Mountains, they found a home.
  Each year, we remember the sacrifice of these courageous men and 
women and the miraculous events that led to the founding of our State 
by observing Pioneer Day. This special holiday is a celebration of the 
pioneer spirit, that unique mix of industry, ingenuity, and innovation 
that transformed an arid desert plain into one of the most prosperous 
States in the Nation.
  Pioneer Day is a perennial reminder of how a people--left to their 
own devices and empowered to follow their dreams--can accomplish 
incredible things. It is a testament to what westerners can achieve 
when the government steps out of the way and allows the human spirit to 
flourish.
  It seems only fitting then that on Pioneer Day I speak in support of 
David Bernhardt, a man who immediately understands the western way of 
life and has dedicated his career to defending it.
  As my colleagues know, Mr. Bernhardt has been nominated to serve as 
the next Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior. Today, I 
wish to express my support for his confirmation in the strongest 
possible terms.
  Mr. Bernhardt has a distinguished record of public service, having 
served for nearly 10 years in the Department of Interior as Solicitor, 
Deputy Solicitor, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Director of Congressional 
Affairs. Now that Mr. Bernhardt works in private practice, Mr. 
Bernhardt is regarded as one of the Nation's most experienced and 
authoritative legal minds on natural resource policy.
  Broad support for Mr. Bernhardt's confirmation is a testament to the 
sterling reputation he has built over an accomplished career in both 
the public and private sectors. State wildlife management agencies, 
Native American Tribes, environmental conservation and wildlife 
protection groups, and the Congressional Western Caucus are among the 
many organizations that have strongly endorsed Mr. Bernhardt's 
nomination. He has also garnered the support of hundreds of 
recreationists, sportsmen, anglers, agricultural producers, and 
ranchers.
  Nominating Mr. Bernhardt is in keeping with the President's promise 
to restore trust between westerners and the Federal Government. After 
just 6 months in office, our President has already made tremendous 
progress in repairing the broken relationship between local communities 
and the executive branch.
  Of course, significant challenges remain, especially in my home State 
of Utah, where reduced access to Federal land has hurt the rural 
economy. Fortunately, as a former Interior Solicitor, Mr. Bernhardt has 
the legal and political background necessary to tackle some of the 
greatest challenges facing Utah and the West. He is well-equipped to 
improve sage grouse management practices, streamline permitting on 
Federal lands, and increase recreational access.
  Mr. Bernhardt is also committed to fostering cooperation between 
Interior agencies and State and Tribal governments, in addition to 
reducing the National Park Service's backlog. Reducing the maintenance 
backlog is critical to tourism in Utah, which is home to the Mighty 5 
national parks.
  I applaud the nomination of Mr. Bernhardt. His breadth of experience 
makes him uniquely qualified to serve as Deputy Secretary, and I look 
forward to working with him and Secretary Zinke to further the 
important work of the Department of the Interior.
  In that regard, I also praise Secretary Zinke, who, I think, is doing 
a terrific job in that Department, understanding the needs of the West, 
especially the needs of all those areas that we know are supervised by 
the Interior Department. He is a terrific human being, and I have a 
great deal of respect for him. The reason he is so good is because he 
has had all the experience working in the West and living in the West 
and doing the things that really have made the West a great place to 
begin with.
  Mr. Bernhardt is going to be a great addition to our government, and 
I want to applaud Secretary Zinke for helping to push him forward.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.