Political Quotes

“I think it is important to recognize that while the text, in fairness to my friend from Utah, was just laid down this morning, these are bills, these are measures, these are matters that have not only been before our committee but have been before the subcommittee on which the Senator is the chairman, and he has had an opportunity to have heard many of those public lands bills. This was a very highly negotiated process by the four corners--not only by Senator Cantwell and me on this side but by our colleagues on the House side--to see what could be put together by way of a package, in terms of the contours of that package. Colleagues will remember that around this body, unfortunately, when it comes to public lands matters, many of these are very, very parochial in nature. Whether it is a conveyance that allows for a water utility to be able to proceed or whether it is a conveyance that will allow for a school to have a facility there, it is pretty parochial. These don't come to the floor for debate and passage. Typically and traditionally, what happens is--and it might not be a perfect process--we bundle them up at the end of the year. What we have done is to have provided--and not only to members of the committee--the bills that we have had an opportunity to have heard. We have outlined what that universe is.…”