Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of economic opportunity for local communities across the Nation.

In my home State of Montana, the Crow Nation suffers from unemployment rates as high as 50 percent, despite having over $1 billion in coal reserves. Similar situations play out in communities across America. This administration has waged a war against coal. In the words of Crow Chairman Old Coyote: ``A war on coal is a war on the Crow people.''

Republicans and Democrats agree; we all want clean air and water and affordable power. Thankfully, advances in technology have made it possible to have both, making it possible to use our vast resources of clean coal to power American homes and manufacturers and put Americans back to work. We can't power the American economy on pixie dust and hope; it takes innovation and investment in areas like clean coal.

Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, this administration is fighting a more aggressive war against American coal than they are against ISIS. We all know of countless attempts to kill coal with regulations, cap-and-trade, and carbon taxes.

Now, the most recent attempt is by the Department of the Interior. The DOI is planning to change how coal on Federal lands and reservations is valued, creating an unpredictable and unstable market that threatens the livelihoods of our local communities and tribes.

When oil, gas, and coal resources are sold, local communities receive tax revenues and royalties to help fund everything from education to infrastructure. However, this administration's one-size-fits-all plan puts funding in jeopardy; places heavier burdens on States and local governments; and also stifles innovation, investment, and job creation.

The national labor participation is the lowest it has been in the past 30 years. Wages are stagnant; the cost of living is going up, and energy prices for home heating and manufacturing are skyrocketing. Our communities simply can't afford another Federal assault on our economy.

These jobs are real, Mr. Chairman. I have been to the Rosebud Mine in Colstrip where union jobs earn their paychecks to provide for their families. This is not just a couple hundred jobs in Montana. There are thousands more like them in Kentucky, West Virginia, Utah, and beyond.

Whether the coal is mined in Montana or turned into electricity to build cars in Michigan, coal is a critical part of our American economy. Again, I am reminded of the words of Chairman Old Coyote: ``For the Crow people, there are no jobs that compare to a coal job--the wages and benefits exceed anything else that is available.''

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in fighting for American workers and American jobs by supporting my amendment to block funding for the Obama administration to continue their war on coal.

I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

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Mr. Chairman, as the sole Representative of the great State of Montana, I do represent, and am proud to represent, the Crows, the Northern Cheyenne, the Assiniboine Sioux, and our American Indian tribes and great nations and understand the value of having a prosperous economy.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I would like the support of all Members.

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