Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to reluctantly reserve the right to object. I will object to amendment No. 3424, which would permanently authorize the revenue collection and deposit functions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I thank my colleague from North Carolina, and I thank my colleague from Colorado. I, too, know, hear, and understand the passion that they have expressed not only at this time but that they have expressed for quite some time in their support for this important conservation program. It is something about which we, as Americans, have much to be proud. I have expressed some of my concerns about how, historically, certain aspects of the Land and Water Conservation Fund have shifted from there being less for stateside acquisition and more for Federal acquisition. I would like to see some of that reallocated and rebalanced. In concept, what we have designed with the LWCF is something that has brought strong and good benefit to our States and, really, to conservation efforts throughout the country. When the Senators speak about the merits of the program, I find nothing that I can disagree with in terms of the benefits that we see. Why I rise to express my objection in advancing the amendment is that the issue they have raised is to permanently seek to authorize this program. The collection and deposit provisions within LWCF are currently authorized, and, as they have pointed out, they are authorized through September 30 of this year.…”