Bill Clinton: “Let me say, first of all, again I'd like to thank Senator Reid for getting my commitment to do this. When I was a boy, I…”

“Let me say, first of all, again I'd like to thank Senator Reid for getting my commitment to do this. When I was a boy, I grew up in a town that permitted me to grow up next to a national park, next to a national forest, in a community surrounded by three lakes, one of which was virtually destroyed. I feel like I have been through a lot of these things, and I feel very much at home here. And the second thing I'd like to do once more is to thank the Vice President for all he's done to sensitize me about these issues and to educate me. I made a joke about it earlier, but it's not funny; it's true. The third thing I'd like to do is to say to all of you, I leave here basically with three different conclusions or commitments in my own mind. One is the one that Senator Feinstein and Mr. Upton and Governor Miller and others, Congressman Fazio pressed home, is we don't have an unlimited amount of time; we have to keep intensifying our efforts. You have done more than anyone could ever have expected you to do, and we have to do our part. So I got the message, and we'll stay after it. The second point again I want to reiterate is that you have done something here which, if we can properly publicize it, will help your Nation very much, because you have proved that you can bring all these people together and demolish the false choice between the environment and the economy.…”