Colorado Wilderness Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I just couldn't let this go. Insinuating that the sponsors of this legislation, on all the titles of this legislation have not been to these areas and that these designations do not have local support is simply untrue.

Two-thirds of the individuals in the affected areas in title 1 of my part of the bill, which have been mostly managed as wilderness study areas for 40 years, support wilderness. Scores of local public officials, scores of local mayors, city councils, and, yes, county commissioners have supported this over the years.

I personally have been to almost every area in the legislation. I have met with scores of businesses, local elected officials, and citizens, and I challenge anybody to go look at these very special areas and tell me that they should not be preserved for future generations.

The same goes for every single title of this legislation. It has been vetted, it has been revetted, and it has been revetted again, and it has strong reasons for designation as public lands, and it has strong local support.

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