Rep.-Elect Lauren Boebert Brings Perspective Of Mom & Small Business Owner To D.C., Along With Her Gun
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS4) - Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert, a Republican who represents Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, says she will bring common sense and her glock pistol to Washington, D.C. Boebert is the first woman and mom elected to her position.
She is also a fierce gun rights supporter.
Boebert's intention to arm herself on the Hill made national news after she raised the subject with the United States Capitol Police during freshmen orientation.
"I'm going to be walking to and from work and so I want to be able to protect myself against an aggressor if that were to happen," Boebert told CBS4 Political Specialist Shaun Boyd.
As a political newcomer, Boebert is used to grabbing headlines. She wears a gun strapped to her leg and owns a bar in Rifle called Shooters Grill.
"I was more surprised by the kind of hush-hush double-speak that was going on and 'we'll talk about this later,'" Boebert told CBS4, referring to her conversation with Capitol police.
She said police confirmed that members of Congress can carry a concealed weapon on the Hill, but the public cannot. The Capitol police would not say if Boebert could carry a gun everywhere on the Hill.
"I didn't really get to a solid answer," Boebert explained.
Getting an answer is on her to-do list and it's a long list right now. Addressing COVID-19 is at the top of it.
As someone who grew up in poverty and now owns her own business, Boebert understands the needs from all sides and, she says, that's the kind of perspective Congress needs.
"I stood in line for bread and cheese and now I'm a member-elect to the United States Congress," she said.
Boebert said re-opening the economy would be the most effective stimulus, but she's not opposed to targeted relief.
"The American people need to be taken care of. So many people have lost their jobs and businesses through no fault of their own," she said. "It's because of government overreach that they were put in this position... but I'm not a fan of just blanket bailouts."
She's also not a fan of expanded unemployment benefits for everyone who loses their job.
"The unemployment that was put forward before was not the best, because when it was time for businesses to begin to open up, they were then competing against unemployment and were unable to bring their employees back to work because they were making more staying home," she said.
While coronavirus will dominate her early days in Congress, Boebert said one of her first battles will be to keep the Bureau of Land Management headquarters in Grand Junction. The Biden administration reportedly supports moving the BLM back to Washington, D.C.
More than 80% of the 3rd Congressional District is federal land. Oil and gas development is a big economic driver in the region.
"We don't need bureaucrats all the way in D.C. overregulating us," Boebert said.
She said she will fight to keep federal lands open to drilling.
"I will definitely be on the front lines promoting our good clean energy right here in Colorado," she added.
Boebert has asked to be assigned to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce or the House Committee on Natural Resources. She said the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee is interested in her sitting on that committee as well.
