Se Colorado News

On July 14, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s Pueblo Jobs Act passed the House with bipartisan support as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) stated, “My Pueblo Jobs Act will support at least 1,000 jobs in Pueblo by closing a loophole in the Pueblo Chemical Depot closure process. I’ve been connected to the Home of Heroes since well before I was sworn into Congress, my flagship District office is in Pueblo, one of my first actions in office was to visit the Pueblo Chemical Depot, I recently attended the changing of command at the Depot for incoming Commander Col. Rodney McCutcheon, and now I am delivering results for the great people of Pueblo that entrusted me to be their voice in Congress. I look forward to my bipartisan bill being signed into law that will help facilitate job growth and economic development while investing in Pueblo’s future.”

PuebloPlex President & CEO Russell DeSalvo III said, “I want to personally thank Congresswoman Boebert for her unwavering commitment to this important legislation. I asked her to make this happen for Pueblo…and she did! The positive economic impacts of the Pueblo Jobs Act will be felt by generations of Puebloans.”

Background:

Congresswoman Boebert’s Pueblo Jobs Act passed as an amendment to the NDAA by a unanimous, bipartisan voice vote. The NDAA then passed the House 219-210 with bipartisan support.

Congresswoman Boebert’s Pueblo Jobs Act will support at least 1,000 jobs in Pueblo as the Pueblo Chemical Depot finishes its closure process. The Pueblo Jobs Act closes a loophole and will prohibit the federal government from cutting corners by requiring the Secretary of the Army to rigorously follow the standard Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process when closing the remaining portions of the Pueblo Chemical Depot to provide certainty for the Pueblo economy and foster future job creation.

In 1988, the Base Closure Commission recommended the realignment of the Pueblo Chemical Depot, but they exempted 7,000 acres, including the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) and additional facilities, from the standard BRAC requirements. The Pueblo Jobs Act closes this loophole. PCAPP and the additional facilities on the 7,000 acres that are now protected by Congresswoman Boebert’s bill represent a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure investment. Congresswoman Boebert’s bill ensures that this infrastructure will be put to work benefiting Pueblo instead of just being torn down and bulldozed. Now that Congresswoman Boebert’s bill passed, PuebloPlex is already studying which industries can move in and use this amazing facility to create high-paying jobs in Pueblo.

Congresswoman Boebert’s bill mandating that the Army follow the standard BRAC process does many things to benefit the Pueblo community. First, it enables PuebloPlex to receive federal grant funding from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) for planning and mitigation of the economic impacts of the closure. Second, it enables Pueblo to receive significant environmental indemnifications from the Army to assist redevelopment and reuse of the property. Third, it allows for a less-than-fair market value conveyance of the property for economic development purposes. Combined, these resources will help sustain Pueblo as the base closes and new businesses come to town.

Congresswoman Boebert worked closely with PuebloPlex as well as Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet throughout this process. The text of Congresswoman Boebert’s Pueblo Jobs Act that passed the House is also in the base text of the Senate bill, thanks to the Senators’ assistance.

The full text of the Pueblo Jobs Act is available here.

Congresswoman Boebert spoke about the important victories delivered for the Home of Heroes in the Pueblo Jobs Act:

Original source can be found here