Hello everybody welcome to The
County Seat I'm your host Chad
Booth we are honored to have with
us Congressman Chris Stewart
represents the southwest part of
Utah clear up into Salt Lake County
and Congressman Stewart thank you
for joining us.
It's an honor.
The entire impetus to make the
phone call to get in touch with you is
about some recent legislation that
has a big impact on Utah's public and
private lands in rural Utah this just
happened a couple of weeks ago
could you tell us about this.
There are a couple things hope to talk
about today one is suicide prevention
hotline which has enormous impacts
on the rural parts of our state as well
I think what you are talking about is
legislation that we included in the
farm bill last week again very
important to rural Utah when you
look at my district I have a really
eclectic district I have downtown salt
lake by the university west and south
all the way to St. George some very
rural parts of the state in my district
and we proudly represent them some
of the most beautiful places in the
country I'd say in the world are in the
second district but turns out federal
government is a big part of people's
lives because so much of these
districts are controlled by the federal
government and the legislation that
we are talking about now is a
legislation that deals with a problem
that is growing here and that is the
pinion juniper which is an invasive
species and it comes in and it takes
over habitat for sage grouse and for
mule deer and it also becomes an
enormous fire hazard I know that you
know it creates an environment
where raptors which can be
predatory also thrive but some of the
sage grouse do not. Some of the laws
of the federal government it
streamlines the environmental
process it allows the federal
government to particularly the BLM
to be much more aggressive in trying
to remove some of this sub pinion
juniper and something we have been
working on Chad for a long time and
finally got it over the finish line.
On a regulatory side it's been a bit of
a night mare we have covered the
issues several times was the BLM
happy to see this are they wanting to
do more of this?
For sure including the state BLM and
now the federal BLM my former chief
of staff Dr. Brian Steed who is a
terrific chief for me is the acting
director of the BLM he understands
this issue and the west and
understands the frustration of paper
work and red tape he knows that
from an environmental perspective
this is a very positive thing to do but
there are some activists groups and
environmental groups that oppose it
they have a lot of power and a lot of
money they are very active and they
have made it difficult. We have been
trying to do this for several years the
environmental positive nature and
positive outcome of this is almost
refutable and again for sage grouse
or mule deer or for other species this
is an easy one and we have finally
cleared the path where the BLM can
be much more aggressive in doing
this.
I find it so interesting that some of
these extreme environmental groups
that fight this claim to be groups for
biodiversity and yet they are trying to
protect a monoculture because once
the pinion juniper take over nothing
grows and all the understory
disappears and we have seen it and
have taken people out on range tours
on our program we have seen it
directly how does it stream line the
process and does it take that ability in
the environmental process to cut
down on the constant litigation when
this happens.
The litigation is something that we
have to deal with separately because
the fact is you can always sue they
might sue and lose but many times
they do not care if they lose they just
want to stop the process and I will
give you an example before I came to
congress I was helping an
environmental firm that we would
help people on federal lands and we
would have people come and file and
take down some of the dead wood
partially after a fire after a few years
that wood has some value and some
groups would immediately sue as
soon as they did that the firm would
withdraw their permit knowing that it
was going to take longer to fight even
though they might win it would take
longer to fight but then the wood
would last and the wood would be
worth nothing 3 to 4 years later and
many times that is their objective.
It's not to necessarily to win in court
it's just to delay and gum up the
process hoping that the other part
would throw up their hands and say
it's too hard it's too expensive. So
that is an issue that will continue and
this mitigates it a little bit but
primarily what it does it allows for
categorical exclusion it allows for the
BLM and in a few cases other
government agencies to say broadly
we have already studied this issue we
know the environmental impacts of
this issue we know the environmental
outcomes of this issue and it allows it
to go forward more quickly rather
than going through a very deep and
detailed environmental studies again
and again when they already know
what the study is going to conclude.
It's like preventing insanity same
actions with the same result.
We are talking about Congress I'm
not going that far.
How do the mule deer benefit from
this obviously if you get the pinion
juniper out you get a reintroduction
of sage grouse which strangely
enough needs lots of grass because
they use sage grouse for cover or the
sage for cover but they don't
necessarily dine on it how does it
help the deer in this process.
It's just a better habitat for them like
you said. The pinion juniper cut down
on the natural feed the natural
grasses that would otherwise develop
they provide some cover but they
don't provide ideal cover and they
end up taking up a lot of water so you
know the sportsmen love this
legislation I heard from dozens of
them over the weekend here in Utah
and various groups the very first
groups reached out after we passed
this legislation were the sports
groups they know this is a real
positive thing for them if you like to
hunt and manage healthy deer herds
or elks this is a very positive thing for
that.
Does this also help ranchers as well?
It does it's a win win situation and it
helps the esthetics as well. You got
mule deer sage grouse elk a better
environment to grasses and water
conversation and it looks better you
can go out and see these green
meadows that look healthier than
that dry pinion that we see
everywhere.
Excellent we will take a quick break
and we will talk about suicide
prevention at the Utah and national
level to try and move that along. We
will be right back with The County
Seat.
Welcome back to The County Seat we
are talking with Congressman Chris
Stewart today we covered a piece of
recent legislation so far that deals
with land habitat and rehabilitation
and land habitat on federal land now
I want to turn our attention to an
outlier and opioid problem mental
health problem extends across the
state particular in rural Utah let's talk
about suicide prevention.
Yes, let's do and by the way the good
news is we are talking about this I
was talking to someone earlier and
made this point if I were in a group of
100 people five years ago and said
how many of you have been touched
by suicide in your family or with
people that you love maybe a few of
them would raise their hand if I had
that same group of 100 people same
people and ask that question today
many of them would. The reason
being is we are more open to talk
about it more willing to recognize it's
a problem here in Utah not just
somewhere else its deep problem
here in Utah and it's a problem
among our veterans and a problem in
our rural communities and we want
to try and help that the good news is
there are things that we can do to
help. People who are so discouraged
and despairing that they are really
contemplating taking their own life if
they can talk to the right person if
they can get help many times we can
help that persons we can give them
what they need in order to get them
to a better place and go on and be
happy and lead a fulfilling life. We
have to be able to reach them at this
critical moment. That is what this
legislation does it makes it much
easier for those people who really
need help whether you live in rural
Utah or New York city it allows
people who need help to get that
help and do it very quickly.
What are the mechanics of it how is
this going to help Loa Utah.
It's pretty simple if you go to Loa or
St. George or Salt Leak City if you ask
people if you are someone you know
is contemplating suicide who would
you call most people say I don't know
I guess I would google suicide
prevention and the thing is there is a
1 800 number but no one knows
what it is. Our answer is the number
is probably 611. It might be 211 or
411 but it's going to be a 3 digit
number so people know when you
have an emergency you call 911 if
you have a mental health emergency
you call 611. People will remember
that in that critical moment when you
are not thinking clearly or someone
you love is not thinking clearly that is
not the time for them gosh I wish I
knew what that number was. 611
they call in and it routes that call to
the local resource. If you call that
number is Salt Lake City or in Loa you
will be routed to Utah's health
hotline for that if you call in another
state or city you would be routed to a
local resource. People who are
trained and compassionate people
who want to help and are able to
help in those situations,
So this in a way is a broader
application of 911 which I think
almost all states now use as an
emergency response and it goes from
that local exchange to local law
enforcement so in Loa they would be
dispatched to Richfield where their 6
county mental health is salt lake they
go to some connection of mental
health.
In some cases that local facility may
be busy or not have resources
available then it would automatically
relay to the next closes probably here
in SLC. Salt Lake City we do such
great job on that, Utah I should say
we do such a good job we have
referrals from all over the country
that come here because we are very
effective at it and we are able to
provide an intermediate step that
some states are not able to do. But
your point Chad as you were saying it
is a close resource that understands
and reach out and give you some
support you may be needing.
Has this been tried anywhere else?
No, not that I am aware of certainly
not here in our country. That is why
this is a national suicide prevention
hotline it's not a state suicide
prevention it's a national effort
reason being there just is nothing like
it here in the US.
Do you have high hopes for it?
Absolutely. For a number of reasons
this is a good actual civics lesson if
you will this is bipartisan it does not
cost anything and who is objecting to
this yet still it took us 3 years to get
this through congress you want to
beat your head against the wall
sometimes it should not take that
long but the good news is once again
its bipartisan and it's not
controversial it's not expensive and
we have a broad coalition and from
veterans groups by the way as a
veteran myself and someone that
comes from a family of veterans I
understand they have particular
needs sometimes so we are very
optimistic we think this will be
implemented probably in the first
quarter or so of 2019.
Let me take a minute before we go to
our next break and talk about
Washington.
Why would you want to ruin this
whole thing by talking about that?
We are at the end of the year and
things are going to change in
congress when you head back how is
Utah going to navigate that in your
opinion?
Well, we will because we always have
we have had changes in the house
and senate changes in the white
house it's not the end of the world or
democracy although sometimes we
feel like it is and sometimes we have
reason to feel like it is. So we will get
through it I will tell you my job is
much less satisfying because it's
going to be very very difficult to do
things that I think are priorities. I sit
on two very powerful committees,
some of the most powerful
committees in congress. The
appropriations committee and I am
optimistic on that we have great
relationships on both sides of the isle
we worked with them democrats and
their priorities and expect they are
going to work with us and we will
have bipartisan support and some
good outcomes in appropriations. A
good example of that is the problem
we have had with wild horses that is
a bipartisan effort on that. The other
committee I sit on is the Intelligence
committee it's going to be hard the
incoming chairman is a very partisan
person he wants nothing more than
to investigate and embarrass and to
eventually impeach our president and
it's going to be a bit of a struggle on
that committee and speaking Chad
broadly about congress we have 2
years where the democrats have
different set of priorities but we still
need to fund the government there is
still important legislation that needs
to move forward and I am hopeful we
will find a way to do some of that.
Is their majority a legislative proof
majority that they have gained on the
other party?
No not in this sense they will be able
to pass their priorities through the
house but they won't get it through
the republican senate unless they can
work in a bipartisan fashion they will
not get the senate to approve or the
president will end up vetoing it so
hopefully it brings the democrats to a
positon where they go if we are going
to do anything we have to do
something in a bipartisan way by the
way if they don't they will pay a real
price in 2020 because the American
people they may not like Donald
Trump but you cannot disagree that
he has been successful in
implementing some important
policies. Where there is tax reform
environmental issues we talked about
defeating ISIS rebuilding our military
Justice Gorsuch on the supreme court
and other important courts the
president has been successful if he
can go to the American people and
say look what I have done democrats
need to do that in 2020 and the only
way they will be able to is if we can
find ways we can work together.
We will take quick break I have some
questions for you. We will be right
back with the County Seat.
Welcome back to the county seat we
are spending time with Congressman
Chris Stewart in the studio today.
Intelligence this is a very important
area and it's an area you have been
active in are you concerned with the
change in priorities that there are
some things on the table that we
should be paying attention to that we
are not going to and what are they?
Yes, I am a little bit before I go too far
on that I will be fair and say let's wait
and see there are certain priorities
that the intel communities that the
house and senate have to do there
are some places that I have to go and
approve some things if we do not do
that those activities have to cease. I
think my democratic colleagues on
the intelligence committee recognize
that and honor that I hope they will
the work is too important. The thing
that concerns me is when you listen
to them and what they have said
since the election they have talked
about none of that they have
expressed no interest in talking or
pursuing those important priorities
for the American people it's always
been as I have said it's been about
investigating the president. The good
news on this I'm not being Polly Anna
I really believe that national security
and our intelligence operations are so
important that the end of the day
democrat's republican's
independents they recognize that in
think they will give it the attention
that they know it needs. It's the most
important thing that we do. The
fundamental responsibility of the
federal government is to keep us safe
if they fail on that what else matters.
Again I think most people in congress
remember that.
How does this all play out in the
border that seems to take all the
oxygen out of the room when you
bring it up?
It does and by the way 2 things on
that one is the president has done
that as well I do not think we need to
refer to it as the wall it's not going to
be a wall no one is suggesting that we
actually build a 2000 mile wall. Its
border security and if you want to
know what it looks like go to Israel
and look at what they have done very
effectively and how its incredible
deflection of terrorists activity once
they put up their version of the wall
or border security. The sensors areas
observed drones of some cases and
sometimes it's actually a wall or a
fence. Anyone who suggest that is a
bad idea I just don't get them how
can you not realize that every nation
has a responsibility and a right to
protect itself and protect their own
borders.
Wouldn't there be some people for
calling you a nationalist for saying
that your borders are important.
If the definition of a nationalist is that
then I am but for heaven's sake they
use it in a derogatory way and they
actually bastardize the definition of it
in many ways its unfair and it's just a
way to wean people if you think
putting Americans interests is the job
of American leadership then that is
what we are trying to do so it's been
too politicized there is no doubt
about it and partially of late. A
couple of years ago the democrats all
supported this idea of border security
and they have backed off of that
again its politics that has driven them
backwards not policy I hope we
resolve that in the next few days
That's going to resolve a mindset of
people that are currently in office is it
not?
Well one would hope in a since there
will be an agreement and this is
important but again people use this a
political football my democratic
colleagues use it to motivate and an
already angry democratic race and
they want to keep that as an issue
republicans such as myself are driven
by this idea that this incredibly
important to us and our constituents
and to the president and those two
principals have come in conflict for a
while now.
I don't want to go too far without
another break we will be right back
with our final comments with
Congressman Chris Stewart here on
The County Seat.
Welcome back to The County Seat
having a really good conversation
today with Congressman Chris
Stewart and I do have a final question
for you we have a couple minutes left
and you have been really good at
telling us all the stuff we have asked
what can constituents do to help you
do your job the next 2 years.
That's a great question I think I would
say 3 things. The first thing is I talk to
too many people who have really lost
hope they feel like it's the end of the
world and not because of the election
I am talking about this time in general
and by the way a lot of democrats
feel that way they feel like Donald
Trump is the end of time the end of
humanity and freedom and
democracy and it turns out that's
probably not true a lot republicans
are feeling the same way for very
different reasons. So the first thing I
would ask as Americans is that we
recognize we have been through
tough times before we got through
the civil war and miracle of the
creation of the constitution when
some of our founding fathers fought
immediately after that we been
through the great depressing the cold
war we can find a way to get through
this. I would ask people don't lose
hope and don't despair have faith in
one another have faith in our country
and the second thing I would ask and
this is harder I say it a bit reluctantly
but it's true we need to have a bit of
patience we cannot fix every problem
overnight I think this president has
done a remarkable job in addressing
meaningful problems as I have listed
here but even he has learned you
don't fix them with a stroke of a pen
on one weekend. It takes time that's
the way our founding fathers set it
up. God Bless them for doing that it
helps in a reasonable manner but
sometimes we have to remind
ourselves be patient keep working do
not despair and don't get
discouraged if we do that we will
work our way through this and we
will be okay.
Excellent thank you and we
appreciate your time Congressman
come back anytime we want to thank
you for tuning into the county seat
each week remember local
government and county government
is where your life really takes place
be involved be part of the solution
and we will see you next week on the
county seat.
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