Mark Kelly: “I offer today an amendment to strike language from this bill which prohibits funding from being used for the American…”

“I offer today an amendment to strike language from this bill which prohibits funding from being used for the American Heritage Rivers Initiative. I feel this prohibition is inappropriate, as it imposes a serious detriment to river communities in 25 States, which have chosen to be a part of this initiative. American Heritage Rivers Initiative began in 1997, the purpose behind it being to refocus and improve our efforts to preserve the cultural, economic and historic values of rivers throughout the country. Since then, the initiative has served as an effective tool in supporting voluntary community efforts to restore rivers and revitalize river fronts. Despite the potential it holds for some of our Nation's treasured resources, the communities which have accepted designations under this initiative have been subjected to repeated efforts to undermine their intentions, primarily through the placement of funding restrictions on various agencies involved in this enterprise. The bill being considered today continues this effort by prohibiting funding for the National Resource Conservation Service from being used for purposes under the initiative.”