I do believe that the most important thing we should be doing here is figuring out how to lower costs for everybody.

I want to thank the 15 co-sponsors that joined me in supporting this bipartisan legislation.

I would note for the record that in part the genesis for this idea was a particular ski area in Colorado that wanted to operate within the law.

The Fire District has worked long and hard-and in good faith-with the Forest Service.

We can't have another 10 years go by without action.

Thank you. I think there's, Mr. Chairman, a lot of violent agreement on this point.

Thank you for your leadership and for the pioneering work you've done in this important area.

The Chairman is known as one of the most, if not the most fair member of the U.S. Senate.

I do believe with a pride of authorship here we've struck the right balance in the bill.

Thank you for scheduling this bill-S. 555-for a hearing today.

The National Park Service management policies say very little that directly refers to climate change.

The national parks, simply put, give us the ability to better understand, mitigate, and adapt to a changing climate.

It is our job to make sure that we protect and create the opportunity for all our national parks to adapt to the most sever impacts of climate change.

I do believe we cannot afford to not respond. As Dr. Williams suggested, if we do not address it now, it will cost us a much greater price later on.

I feel that if we do fully fund research projects and adaptation projects, then I feel truly what is going to happen is that we are going to get in front--we are going to be proactive in getting in front of this problem.

It is incumbent upon the Federal Government to work with us in partnership to create new strategies, new policies to address what we have always wanted to do.

I would like to applaud and thank all of you for your efforts. However, I would also like to urge you to consider fully funding these efforts.

The purpose of today's hearing is to consider the impacts of climate change on the National Park System.