New Mexico pastor lends a prayer to the launching of the Public Lands Caucus

LOUISVILLE — To kick off an event on Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol celebrating the formation of the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus, members of the U.S. House of Representatives turned to the Rev. Andrew Black for a prayer. Black is the associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the founder of EarthKeepers 360.

Image

Here’s in part what Black prayed:

“Creator God, from the east and west to the north and south, you have called these leaders to gather on this common ground so that they may indeed find common ground and common purpose in serving the people of this great nation. …

“May they serve with energy, intelligence and imagination … May those with voice help the voiceless, may those with power help the powerless, and may all who enter this Capitol be treated with great dignity, respect and kindness. …

“O Great Spirit who gives us life, you have blessed America with a rich and diverse tapestry of history, culture and sacred traditions that are rooted in our land. …

“Good and gracious God, help us to remember that we are all keepers of this beautiful and sacred space. Make us strong stewards of a land blessed by so much enchantment and let us look to the common good as we address the challenges of your Creation, so that we may develop responsible policies and practices toward your land, water and wildlife.

“Holy One, on this day we pray for all who serve as active military, and we honor our veterans who fought not just to protect our communities and country, but also fought to protect our public lands that serve as a source of healing, wholeness, unity and community for so many in our country. For all these things we humbly pray, Amen.”

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat from New Mexico, and U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Montana Republican who previously served as Secretary of the Interior, will co-chair the new bipartisan caucus.

In a news conference that can be viewed here, Vasquez described the new bipartisan caucus as “an effort meant to reinforce the importance of maintaining the integrity of public lands, public access, land management and conservation in the U.S. Congress.”

“Make no mistake: Our public lands are our nation’s great equalizer,” Vasquez said. “On the water, on the land, or in the backcountry, we all benefit greatly by the foundations laid by great conservation leaders like Aldo Leopold and Teddy Roosevelt. Public lands and public access to our forests, rivers, grasslands and deserts are a unique American experience we must continue to fight for.”

Public lands “also support a multi-billion-dollar industry and outdoor recreation that powers rural communities, connects Americans to their history and their heritage and allows us to pass on our traditions to the next generation,” Vasquez said. “That’s why I’m here to help us bring both sides of the aisle together to protect what we hold dear, and that’s why I’m leading this effort with my caucus co-chair, Rep. Ryan Zinke.”

Caucus members recently introduced the bipartisan Public Lands in Public Hands Act “to prevent the wholesale or transfer of public lands to private entities,” Vasquez noted. “This will be a working caucus meant to bring us together” and “grow over the coming months and years.”

Zinke described public lands as “not a Republican or Democrat issue” but “an American issue, and we should use it in that context of being red, white and blue.”

“It’s important that we talk about better management, to preserve and defend why we live in the West and why America’s greatest idea should be preserved and defended.”  Zinke listed a number of issues the caucus can tackle, including better forest and watershed management and increased care for the nation’s wildlife corridors and flyways, “to make sure the next generation has the same opportunity that we did, to enjoy what I think are our greatest treasures.”

Zinke then introduced U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, an Idaho Republican and dentist who chairs the House Interior Committee and Environmental Subcommittee on Appropriations. Simpson noted that nearly two-thirds of the state’s lands are public.

Idahoans “like to go fishing and hunting and not have to ask anybody for access across their property to get to that favorite fishing hole or hunting space,” Simpson said. “It’s our job to make sure the agencies who oversee those public lands are acting as good neighbors and listening to local communities and addressing the needs of the forest and sagebrush lands. It’s common sense, the way I look at it.”

“What we need to be doing is creating more public access,” said U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan. “It’s not just these big, wide states. We have wildlife refuges throughout the country. We need to be protecting species of all kinds. I’m very excited to be working with everyone here,” she said, gesturing to her House colleagues. “We will do our best to protect public lands for everyone.

U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, a California Democrat and a physician, noted the 25^th District he represents is home to not only Joshua Tree National Park and the newly designated Chuckwalla National Monument, but “some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the country.”

Public lands “are part of our identity, our history and our culture. We also know they’re part of our health,” Ruiz said, “because environmental health is closely linked to our public’s health.”

“That’s why expanding and protecting outdoor recreation is so important,” Ruiz said. “Whether you are a veteran seeking peace on a desert hike, a child seeing the stars for the first time, or a family gathering under the cottonwoods, these moments should belong to everyone.”

“There is a definite healing power in the outdoors for our veterans and for many people who suffer from anxiety and other mental health illnesses,” Ruiz said. “When we conserve our public lands, we protect our culture, our health, our environment and our future.”

“Our time is precious,” Zinke said of the lawmakers who agreed to join the caucus. “We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t think we could get things done.”