Dale Bumpers: “while I and a number of my colleagues will come to the floor in the days ahead to introduce specific proposals affecting…”

“while I and a number of my colleagues will come to the floor in the days ahead to introduce specific proposals affecting our Nation's parks and public lands, I would like to talk very generally about the environmental and natural resources agenda of the 105th Congress. My hope is that we have learned from the lessons of the last Congress and will not once again attempt to undo the most effective and progressive network of environmental laws in the world. Over 25 years ago, with overwhelming bipartisan support, the National Forest Management Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Water Act were enacted into law. Today, as a result of those and other laws passed with strong support from both sides of the aisle, people are more actively involved in management of their public lands, more people are using public lands for recreation than ever before, our air and waters are cleaner, hunting and fishing is better, our Government is more open about the effects of its actions on the health and safety of families and local communities, and rare species such as the bald eagle and grizzly bear are thriving. By protecting our natural resource heritage, we have become a wiser, stronger, and healthier Nation.”