Colorado Wilderness Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I thank Chairman Grijalva and Congresswoman DeGette for their hard work on this bill.

Our public lands are iconic features of the American landscape. It is our duty to preserve and protect these treasured lands, and to be responsible stewards so that future generations can enjoy them as much as we do today.

The Protecting America's Wilderness Act recognizes the irreplaceable value of public lands in our lives by safeguarding public lands and waters across Colorado, California, and Washington.

But the value of these lands goes far beyond their vast ecological diversity. They offer our veterans a unique opportunity to heal after they return home from the frontlines.

My amendment strengthens this bill by promoting the health and wellness of our veterans and servicemembers through access to lands protected within this bill, outdoor recreation, and participation in volunteer programs.

The great American outdoors is uniquely positioned to provide therapeutic benefits to our veterans and brave men and women in service. As they transition from service, or a uniform, to civilian life, public lands have been shown to help them reconnect, recover, and heal.

We make a sacred promise to every veteran, and it is our duty to serve them as they have served us and ensure that they can actively benefit from all that our landscapes have to offer. By doing so, we honor not only the importance of these lands, but also those who continue to serve this country today.

I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment and the underlying bill.

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Mr. BROWN of Maryland. I yield to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Fulcher), the minority manager.

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Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say thank you to the gentleman and all the Members of Congress who, not only during the course of this bill and the amendments and the debate but as a tradition, in a bipartisan manner are supporting our men and women in uniform, those who have worn the uniform, and our veterans and their families.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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