We are taking that responsibility away from the state, and we are going to take that, and I think when we make these decisions, we have to step up for that.

All the talk about we need to address root causes, it is like come on, guys. This is taking our eye off the ball, which is we need to have our borders secure.

Today, there is far more looting, far more grave robbing, vandalism in this area.

How in the world does the Federal Government propose to do what it said it was going to do when it made this a monument designation and took the stewardship away from the local people?

We are going to have to secure our border.

The idea that we are going to somehow solve the root causes in all of Latin America of corruption, of the kind of military threats going on, that is just not going to happen.

We cannot solve poverty here. We cannot end crime here, in our own country. The idea that we are going to do it in dozens of countries across Latin America and reduce the desire of people to come to America is just not realistic.

It is an F.

We must do this to protect and preserve this area. We don't trust the state, we don't trust the county, we don't trust the elected officials to do this as they have done it for many, many decades.

I think we as lawmakers and policy makers need to understand it is not as easy as waving a wand and protecting all of this area because we have designated it.

But it is not staff, it is budget.

I think, in truth, if I could redo this life, I would be a park ranger.

There simply isn't.

Expediency is key with this project, especially as it relates to community water.

I think it is fair to say it impacts local guides, it impacts individuals with recreation, it impacts the local tribes.

Thus saving the taxpayer more money than if we hadn't done the project.

I think it is imperative that your agency is able to make this a non-political issue, and assure people that it really is, in the long term, saving taxpayers money by spending this money.

Thank you, Director Sams. I spent the last several days in Acadia National Park. My compliments to your team there.