Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act--Veto Message From the President of the United States

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for the time. I support this bill for many reasons. I support it for the reasons that were articulated by the sponsor, my colleague from Colorado, Ms. Boebert; by the ranking member; and by the chairman. I think they have ably explained why this water infrastructure project for southeastern Colorado is so critical, a project 60 years in the making.

I support it because, as was noted, there are no cogent issues with this bill as were purportedly articulated in the veto message from President Trump. Far from it, this bill will cost taxpayers virtually nothing as was referenced. It makes good on a promise to the people of rural Colorado.

I support the bill because I believe that the people of Otero County and Bent County and Crowley County deserve access to clean water just as every citizen of the great State that I serve and that Ms. Boebert serves, that Mr. Hurd serves, and my other colleagues in the Colorado congressional delegation deserve.

I think what is perhaps missing from this debate, and it is important for us to level with the American people, is: Why are we here? Why, despite all the reasons that this bill makes a whole lot of sense? Why, despite the fact that this bill passed unanimously in the House and in the Senate, Mr. Speaker? Why did the President veto this bill?

We are here, unfortunately and profoundly, because the President has declared war on our State. In the last 40 days, he has taken step after step to harm the people whom I serve and whom I represent. He is denying disaster assistance for folks in Rio Blanco County and down south in La Plata County. He is freezing childcare assistance and food assistance for hungry families across our State and trying to dismantle a scientific institution in my district. Now, he is denying access to clean water to 50,000 people in southeastern Colorado.

It is unconscionable.

Now, I am speaking to my Democratic colleagues. To be clear, it is important in this moment for Members to support this override and ensure that this promise that was made to the people of southeastern Colorado is not impaired and is not abrogated by the President's retaliation against the State of Colorado. We cannot let that become the new normal.

I will say to all of my colleagues: As you consider where you land on this particular vote, let me be abundantly clear. It does not matter if your community supported Donald Trump politically. If we don't take this step, then, trust me, no town is safe, no county is safe, and no State is safe from political retaliation by the administration. We will be back here on the floor debating a veto for a project in Arkansas or in Texas or in Ohio.

The House has an opportunity, in my view, to do the right thing on the merits and to support this important legislation that Ms. Boebert has introduced and that she has fought for with our colleagues in the Senate, Senator Bennet and Senator Hickenlooper.

I am urging every Member of this body: Put aside political differences. Recognize that this is a bill you already supported as recently as last month. Recognize that it is going to have a dramatic and consequential impact on a lot of hardworking Americans in the rural parts of our country. Vote in the affirmative on the override.

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