[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 203 (Monday, December 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H10300-H10301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MIRACLE MOUNTAIN DESIGNATION ACT
Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 722) to designate a mountain in the State of Utah as
``Miracle Mountain''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 722
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Miracle Mountain Designation
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) On September 13, 2018, the Bald Mountain Fire burned
nearly 20,000 acres of land in Utah.
(2) Elk Ridge City, located in Utah County, was nearly the
victim of this fire.
(3) Suddenly, the fire halted its progression and, instead
of burning into Elk Ridge City, stayed behind the mountain
and spared the city.
(4) Congress, in acknowledgment of this event, believes
this mountain holds special significance to the residents of
Elk Ridge City and surrounding communities.
(5) The presently unnamed peak has been referred to as
``Miracle Mountain'' by many residents since the fire that
nearly went into Elk Ridge City.
SEC. 3. MIRACLE MOUNTAIN.
(a) Designation.--The mountain in the State of Utah,
located at 39 59' 02N, 111 40' 12W, shall be known and
designated as ``Miracle Mountain''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, record, or other paper of the United States to the
mountain described in subsection (a) shall be considered to
be a reference to ``Miracle Mountain''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
New Mexico (Ms. Haaland) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr.
Westerman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Mexico.
General Leave
Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from New Mexico?
There was no objection.
Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 722, introduced by Representative Curtis, would
designate an unnamed peak near Elk Ridge City, Utah, as Miracle
Mountain.
On August 24, 2018, lightning sparked the 20,000-acre Bald Mountain
fire, which expanded rapidly and eventually merged with the Pole Creek
fire, threatening the cities of Elk Ridge and Woodland Hills.
Fortunately, on September 13, the fire suddenly halted behind the
mountain, saving the communities of Elk Ridge and Woodland Hills.
To commemorate the peak that saved their community, many residents of
Elk Ridge City have adopted the name Miracle Mountain.
H.R. 722 would simply designate this peak as Miracle Mountain to
serve as a lasting tribute to the mountain and the brave firefighters
that protected Elk Ridge City and Woodland Hills from the ravaging Bald
Mountain fire.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Representative Curtis, for
championing this legislation and urge my colleagues to support H.R.
722.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 722, the Miracle
Mountain Designation Act. This bill would designate a mountain near Elk
Ridge, Utah, as Miracle Mountain to recognize the providential events
that took place in early September 2018 during the Pole Creek and Bald
Mountain fires.
These massive wildfires burned roughly 120,000 acres in Utah. The
fires and their smoke were visible to the majority of Utah's residents
in the greater Salt Lake City area.
Two northern Utah cities located in Congressman Curtis' district, Elk
Ridge and Woodland Hills, narrowly escaped these fires barreling
towards their communities. Evacuations were ordered for these
communities, and families were forced to abandon their homes and pray
for the best. Swift winds and severe drought conditions fueled the fire
which was on a direct path towards these small towns.
On September 13, a miracle happened. As the fire reached the base of
a lone mountain standing between the fire and Elk Ridge, the winds
inexplicably shifted, and the fires were thrown off their deadly path.
These communities were miraculously spared.
Since the fire, the unnamed peak has been referred to as Miracle
Mountain by many Utahns.
Two weeks ago, Elk Ridge Mayor Ty Ellis testified before the Natural
Resources Committee about the miracle he had witnessed. At the hearing,
Mayor Ellis stated: ``As I drove towards that mountain, I said to
myself, it truly is a miracle that that mountain remains green, and
behind it is nothing but ash.''
Mayor Ellis reached out to Congressman Curtis soon after the fire had
been contained to see if the peak could be named ``Miracle Mountain.''
We are all grateful to the courageous Federal, State, and local
firefighters who worked tirelessly to battle the blaze.
Naming the peak Miracle Mountain is a fitting acknowledgement of
divine intervention and a gesture of gratitude to all those who came
together to save these towns and help those who were forced to
evacuate.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this measure, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
[[Page H10301]]
Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and
would inquire whether my colleague has any remaining speakers on his
side.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have one speaker.
Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill. I support it; I
urge its adoption.
I have to take this opportunity to address another vital issue that
we are addressing this week in Congress, but we are not having any time
to debate, practically speaking. All special orders have been shut
down, all 1 minutes have been shut down, practically speaking, so I am
going to take this moment and address the impeachment issue, which we
will be voting on as early as Wednesday.
I rise to highlight the work of the late President John Fitzgerald
Kennedy, who wrote the book, ``Profiles in Courage.''
In this book, then-Senator Kennedy highlighted six Senators who each
took a stand for what they knew was right, risking their political
futures in favor of their convictions. One of these Senators was Kansas
Senator Edmund Ross, who courageously cast the deciding vote against
his own political party and against the impeachment of President Andrew
Johnson despite enormous pressure from his colleagues in Congress.
Senator Ross was a brilliant freshman senator with enormous
potential, yet he sacrificed it all with one vote in 1868.
During the process, an onlooker overheard him say that he had no
sympathy for President Johnson but wanted to see a fair trial.
Ross' reverence for the Constitution and the institutions of American
government superseded the wishes of his own political party.
Today, my friends and colleagues across the aisle would do well to
learn from Senator Ross, who put principle and a strong belief in the
Constitution over the fads and crazes of the politics of the moment.
His reasoning echoes loudly today.
If a President could be forced out of office by insufficient evidence
that was generated from partisan disagreement, the Presidency would
then be under the control of whatever congressional faction held sway.
The American people clearly decided in 2016 that Donald Trump is our
President.
I fear that, throughout this impeachment process, my colleagues
across the aisle will choose to cast aside the Constitution and the
will of the American people as they carry out this hyperpartisan
impeachment.
History will long remember those who stood and courageously defended
the Constitution, just as Senator Ross did on that fateful day as he
forged his profile in courage by bucking his own political party.
I wonder if my colleagues understand the legacy they are forging. My
question for them simply is this: Who of you will choose to be a
profile in courage?
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. HAALAND. Mr. Speaker, I just once more want to remind this House
how important this measure is, this bill that my colleague, Mr. Curtis,
has put forth, and I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Haaland) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 722.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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