[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11608-11609]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NEVADA'S BASIN AND RANGE MONUMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Nevada (Mr. Hardy) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, last Friday, the President signed away more 
than 700,000 acres of Lincoln and Nye Counties, as the Basin and Range 
National Monument in my district, locking these lands up from economic 
development the region depends on. This is unacceptable.

[[Page 11609]]

  Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to give a voice to what Nevada's 
argument is and what Nevada's argument is not. Some on the other side 
of the aisle wish to paint those who oppose the designation as enemies 
of our public lands, when nothing could be further from the truth.
  Southeastern rural Nevada is in my blood. As a fifth-generation son 
of farmers and ranchers from Mesquite, Nevada, I am directly descended 
from the very same mountain men and the settlers whose bravery and 
resolve blazed the trail for the founding of our great State and who 
are mentioned in the President's proclamation. I grew up to explore the 
rugged landscapes of Lincoln and Nye Counties, hunting, hiking, and 
camping in these one-of-a-kind surroundings.
  I love Nevada as much as the next Nevadan, and we refuse to be 
lectured by those who feel that they are first among equals in matters 
that concern our future. Our argument is not about whether or not to 
preserve our national treasures contained on our public lands. I 
wholeheartedly agree that we have a responsibility; we must protect 
what needs to be protected.
  It comes down to this: The Antiquities Act is antiquated. The law is 
rooted in the last century, and it has been manipulated over the years 
to exceed its original intent. It has become a tool of political 
patronage, burnishing the legacies of those privileged enough to hold 
our Nation's highest elected offices. It also furthers the insidious 
notion that Washington knows best.
  The primary orchestrator of this monument maneuver even went so far 
as to say to the concerned people of Lincoln and Nye Counties: Don't 
worry. This is going to be great for you.
  Despite the Orwellian refrain, the people in Nevada demanded the 
right to think for themselves, and they strongly disagree.
  According to the letter I received from Nye County, the entire county 
board of commissioners opposes the Basin and Range National Monument 
designation, stating the dire concerns about the absence of any 
consultation with the Federal Government and the harmful economic 
constraints. With 98 percent of Nye County already under Federal 
control, it can ill afford to lose additional economic opportunities.
  As for Lincoln County, the commissioners have expressed grave 
concerns about having such a large swath of the county administered 
``for a singular, specific, preferred use, rather than for a multiple-
use management resource plan.''
  Despite what the White House asserts, this outcome would particularly 
be harmful for a county that is already 97 percent federally 
controlled.
  Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, there is no doubt in my mind the 
Antiquities Act is a holdover of a bygone era. We continue to see 
Presidents pay lip service to the requirement that the boundaries of 
national monuments should be ``confined to the smallest area 
compatible''--700,000 acres, really?
  What I would like to encourage my colleagues and those in the 
administration to remember is that rural Nevada's culture, the will and 
resolve of its people, are not things that can be locked away in an 
outdoor museum. They live on in today's generations who continue to 
carry on the traditions of those who came before them and respect the 
land they call home.
  With proper consultation across all levels of government and the 
local buy-in, I am confident that Democrats and Republicans can work 
together to protect America's natural heritage, while also preserving 
its people's way of life.
  This photograph is a great example of the possibilities. The Tule 
Springs Fossil Beds National Monument is a case study of a successful 
effort to preserve Nevada's national heritage that was given due 
consideration and that had a widespread community backing. That is why 
Congress passed legislation to create the Tule Springs Fossil Bed 
National Monument in Nevada last year.
  If I can pose for a picture, smiling wide and holding a sign with the 
words ``national monument'' on it, there must be a right way to go 
about protecting our public lands.
  Mr. Speaker, we need local input; we need votes in Congress, and we 
need to fix the antiquated Antiquities Act.

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