Political Quotes

“I thank my cosponsors and others for supporting this amendment, which will get us to a final resolution of this very important question. In response to some of the comments that have been made, the record shows in 1952, in the authorization, the projection of tonnage was we could have up to 4 million tons on the river by 2010. The latest figures I have are we currently move agricultural products on the Missouri River equivalent to 45,000 transport trucks, fully loaded, at 80,000 pounds each. That is about 9 million tons of agricultural products moved in a more environmentally friendly and more efficient and more economical way. With respect to the work we do to enhance conservation, wildlife habitat, I note Missouri spends about $141 million on fish and wildlife. I outlined in my remarks all the steps we have taken. I hope the managers of the bill will find it in their hearts to be able to fund the Mississippi and Missouri River Habitat Program that we authorized several years ago that enables us to continue to make improvements in the river that do not affect the multiple uses of the river but make it much more friendly and supportive of the pallid sturgeon, the least tern, the piping plover, and other endangered species. My position is simply that the Government should be preventing floods, not forcing floods on people. We have an opportunity to ensure good transportation for farmers.”