Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2000 is legislation I have introduced in consultation with the Alaskan Federation of Natives. Considerable time has been spent to resolve the Calista land exchange issue, and I want to thank all parties involved for their commitment to resolve this important land exchange for Calista. This land exchange was authorized to provide Calista with a means of economic self-sufficiency pursuant to the purposes of ANCSA. Under Section 8126 of the Defense appropriations Bill, the Secretary of the Interior and Calista were to determine a mutual agreement value for Calista's land. However, the two parties have been unable to arrive at a mutually agreeable value. Section 6 of this bill will eliminate this impasse by establishing a total value to be credited to Calista's lands and interests, as Congress has had to do in numerous other instances in 1976. In doing so Congress, will simply be providing the figure with Calista and the Secretary of the Interior were unable to determine. I have two letters of support for section 6, the Calista land exchange, from six conservation organizations.”