Thank you--not only for being here, but also for the preparation, for this time, for the incredibly compelling testimonies.

And it affected the violence directly, here in the United States?

What you are saying is, the gang truce broke down in El Salvador----

It is important to address the problem in El Salvador if we are going to take a really hard look at the problem that we are experiencing here, in the United States.

Is the FBI the correct depository for that?

Congress has authorized and, in fact, made it a priority for the Corps to work with private partners to develop and maintain recreational areas at Corps lakes.

It would be a good idea. And I would like to ask that you personally look at this because it is something that should not have gone this long and it is critical.

Congressman de la Garza was a great champion for American agriculture, and I enjoyed serving with him.

opening statement

We write farm bills for the bad times, not the good times, and our nation's farmers and ranchers currently are struggling with that as we speak.

I take conservation policy very seriously.

We write farm bills for the bad times--not the good times--and our nation's farmers and ranchers are certainly struggling right now.

We should continue to support the voluntary conservation efforts that our forest owners make on their lands.

As a Committee, we need to do everything in our power to give the Forest Service the flexibility to act to reduce fuel loads.

Our nation's forests are a great natural resource, and today we will examine farm bill provisions that work to ensure our National and private forests remain healthy and productive.

I believe the U.S. Forest Service... should return to its original purpose of conserving natural resources through sustainable use.

I believe the U.S. Forest Service...should return to its original purpose of conserving natural resources through sustainable use.

As the recent rangeland wildfires in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Colorado remind us, wildfires can wreak incredible havoc, destroying livelihoods all along the way.