Tagged

Today I attended a conference hosted by the National Association of Counties to discuss the importance and future of Payment in Lieu of Taxes funding.  I appreciated the opportunity to speak to this group, so I could share my thoughts on how we can ensure that a dispropotionate share of the costs and burdens of federal land ownership aren't concentrated in counties with high levels of federal land.

Materials from the conference that highlight the problematic relationship bewteen PILT and federal lands

In my remarks to this group I identified several areas that we need to focus on as we work together to improve the PILT program and make it more reliable for the counties that rely on the federal government to keep its promise to offset the costs associated with high concentrations of federal land.

I emphasized that PILT is not an entitlement program. It is an affirmative obligation of the federal government. It must not be legislatively partnered with subsidies or other entitlements, because, as we have seen, PILT is being used as a politcal football.  I will continue to work toward funding PILT as either a standalone bill or any other vehicle where Congress can focus on fully funding PILT with a long term bill that provides certainty to counties.

I also pointed out that the most important thing we need to focus on in improving the PILT program is to educate those who come from states with little federal land about the nature of this program.  Every day I work to educate my colleagues about the unique challenges faced by states with high levels of public land.  However, this education effort needs to be promoted by everyone who is concerned with the future of PILT.  I am hopeful that those who attended this conference today will join me in this effort.

Earlier this year, during hearings of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I had the chance to ask CENTCOM Commander General Lloyd Austin and the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper about the risks of arming and assisting rebel groups in Syria.  Their responses were very troubling.  As the president shares his plan for how to address national security threats in the Middle East, I hope to find his plan takes into account the concerns raised by these high-ranking officials.

The following is a question for the record that I submitted to General Austin and his response:

Senator Lee Questions General Austin on Providing Assistance to Syrian Rebels

This is a video of my exchange with Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper:

Here is the transcript of this exchange:

LEE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you for joining us today. Director Clapper, you said in an Intelligence Committee hearing in January that one of the extremist groups operating in Syria, the Al-Nusra Front, has aspirations for attacks on the United States. I was wondering if you could elaborate a little bit on this, and tell us whether or to what degree Al-Nusra has the capability or is close to developing the capability of attacking the United States?

CLAPPER: This has been a tenet of theirs ever since they formed up, is ultimately planning for and attempting to execute an attack on the homeland. I think right now this is more aspirational than operational. We have seen evidence of the emergence of training camps, for example, that have the familiar signatures from Afghanistan days. Probably of greater concern, as I mentioned in my opening statement, are some Al Qaida veterans from the Afghanistan-Pakistan area, a small nucleus of them who have also moved to Syria, which has served as a magnet for many of these extremists. And they do harbor designs on -- and this is separate from Al-Nusra -- harbor designs on attacks on the homeland -- in Europe and the homeland.

LEE: So there are other groups there that potentially present a threat to us?

CLAPPER: Yes.

LEE: What proportion of the rebel fighters in -- in the Syrian conflict would -- would you and others in the intelligence community characterize as extremist? And -- and what level of influence do you think they have on the entire group?

CLAPPER: The number is somewhere in the neighborhood of, altogether opposition fighters, somewhere in the neighborhood of the low range of 75,000 to 80,000, maybe to 110,000 and 115,000. And somewhere in the neighborhood of between 20,000 and maybe up top range of 26,000 we regard as extremists. And they are disproportionately influential because they are among the most effective fighters on the battlefield.

LEE: So would you say that there is -- there is a significant relationship, then, between the Al-Nusra Front, especially when you add in other extremist elements, and what many people refer to as the more moderate -- the more moderate elements of the rebel forces in Syria?

CLAPPER: In terms...

LEE: Yes, so the question is, is there a significant relationship, then, between the extremist elements and what we're calling the moderate elements?

CLAPPER: Well, they are an agreement of convenience, I would say. Oftentimes, these groups will apparently -- which are quite fluid, by the way -- may disagree ideologically, but will, if it's convenient for them in a tactical context, will -- will agree to work together.

LEE: Sure.

CLAPPER: Of course, we've had the falling out now with the ISIL, and where the -- they are fighting other opposition groups.

LEE: But given this relationship of convenience, as you describe it, there is, I assume, frequently coordinating going on -- sharing of information; perhaps sharing of equipment that goes on between extremist elements and moderate elements.

CLAPPER: Well, that's -- that's hard to say, sir. I mean, this is a very fluid kind of thing. There are some 1,500 or 1,600 of these groups, various fighting groups. And they align themselves and realign themselves constantly. So it's very hard to make generalized statements about that.

LEE: Warehouses of items provided as assistance to moderate rebels were, as you know, seized by some Islamist groups in December. Was Al-Nusra involved in that seizure?

CLAPPER: I'll have to research to see which groups were involved in the warehouse seizure. I don't know off the top of my head.

LEE: And to your knowledge, is there anything that -- anything that was seized in connection with that -- that raid in December that has subsequently been used by Al-Nusra or by any of the other extremist groups?

CLAPPER: We don't know. I -- I can't say, sir.

In a recent trip to St. George, I was invited to tour Switchpoint: a new facility in the area that provides temporary shelter and support for the homeless community in Washington county.  I was joined by St. George City Councilmembers Bette Arial, Michele Randall, and Jimmy Hughes; Mayor John Pike; and City Manager Gary Esplin.  Carol Hollowell is the director of Switchpoint, and she led the tour.

Last November, I delivered a speech about reducing poverty entitled, Bring Them In.  In this passage from the speech I highlighted one of the principles for reducing poverty that is often forgotten in policy debates:

We usually refer to the free market and civil society as “institutions.” But really, they are networks of people and information and opportunity. What makes these networks uniquely powerful is that they impel everyone – regardless of race, religion, or wealth - to depend not simply on themselves or the government, but on each other. For all America’s reputation for individualism and competition, our nation has from the beginning been built on a foundation of community and cooperation.

In a free market economy and voluntary civil society, no matter your career or your cause, your success depends on your service. The only way to get ahead is to help others do the same. The only way to look out for yourself is to look out for your neighbors. 

As I toured Switchpoint, I was convinced that their model that relies primarily on the institutions of civil society is a model that policies that are intended to reduce poverty need to follow.  The institutions of government had a small role to play in helping Switchpoint secure their building.  One of their innovations of the facility is to designate an area where 17 non-profit partners and local government agencies can be available to those who visit the facility.  The bulk of the effort that is utilized to run this facility is provided by volunteers.  Local organizations of contractors and local businesses donated materials and labor for renovating and modernizing the facility.  Another group donated computers that can be used by those who visit the facility to search for work, fill out forms and paper work, participate in job training programs, and develop new skills. Religious groups donated crucial resources and volunteers as well.

Donated Materials and Bedroom Furniture

Computer Kiosks for Donated Computers

Aside from this community assistance, much of the operation of the facility will depend on the volunteer work of those who are receiving its services.  While I was touring the kitchen, a woman who was receiving assistance from Switchpoint was helping maintain the kitchen and preparing lunch.

Learning About Kitchen Volunteer Program

I was certainly impressed by Switchpoint's innovative approach to making poverty more temporary, but I was not surprised to see this innovation coming from from my fellow Utahns.  This is why as part of my Conservative Reform Agenda, my proposals that are designed to provide opportunity and upward mobility to those who are struggling focus primarily on shifting power from Washington DC to the states, local governments, and local communities that can truly make a difference to those they serve. 

Americans need a new, comprehensive anti-poverty agenda that not only corrects – but transcends – existing policies, and I believe Switchpoint is an organization that proves we can meet this challenge.