Ultimately, no substantive action can be done on the effect of Federal lands without the cooperation and commitment from the United States Forest Service.

I appreciate the Chairman's willingness to allow me to participate in this important discussion.

I have concerns that millions of dollars have been proposed in each of your respective agencies' budgets for the purpose of purchasing additional federal lands.

The history of this trust has been complicated to say the least.

There is a part of the Navajo Nation that is an open wound on the conscious of this country.

I am here to tell you this area is a disaster. It is a national disaster created by an act of the government instead of an act of God, but a natural disaster just the same.

The tribal representatives tell me they would prefer block grants that would allow them to prioritize their needs and set in motion the projects they deem important in the time and manner they choose.

I invite you to join me in Flagstaff at your earliest convenience and my community will show you the urgency of the situation.

Will you commit to work with us to ensure that these extensions move forward in a unified and timely fashion?

California's Central Valley, where 200 billion gallons of water were deliberately diverted away from vital agriculture for the enjoyment and amusement of the 2-inch Delta Smelt is a case in point.

Meanwhile, funds that ought to be going to water and power development are instead being squandered on subsidizing low-flow toilets, salmon festivals, tiger salamander studies and grants to private associations whose principal activity is…