Gabby Giffords was a mentor of mine in the state Legislature and also in Congress.

I grew up in rural Arizona. My dad ran a general store. I grew up learning to do more with less. And I have been saying, you know, Washington needs to do the same.

The EPA's [Clean Power Plan] is another example of Washington's lack of understanding when it comes to rural and Western energy issues. I oppose this new rule because it hurts my district, which has four coal-fired plants that power Arizona's big cities, small towns, businesses and residences. These plants also provide good-paying jobs in our tribal and rural regions.

We need to find a balance between protecting our local economies while pursuing the longer-term goal of producing clean, affordable and reliable power.

By boosting oversight and accountability, we can empower the VA in its core mission of helping the men and women who have served our country.

I will not support efforts that kill jobs in my district and lack provisions for responsibly transitioning us toward a clean-energy economy.

The Navajo Generating Station in Page, for example, employs hundreds of people, mostly Native Americans, and provides nearly all of the power for the Central Arizona Project. That means our entire state has a big stake in the energy production and economic stability of these plants.