Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, this amendment would place uncalled-for restrictions and undercut any President from using their authority under the Antiquities Act to establish a national monument, an authority, I should add, that has been available to Presidents for 100 years. The Antiquities Act is an important tool that enables the President to protect and strengthen America's heritage. Since Theodore Roosevelt first designated the national monument Devil's Tower in Wyoming, 16 Presidents from both parties have used the Antiquities Act to protect more than 160 of America's best known and loved landscapes. Only three Presidents have not. National monuments tell the story of the American people. Out of 460 national monuments and national parks, 113 reflect the diverse community that makes up our Nation. Nineteen recognize the achievements of the Latino community, twenty-six of the African American community, and eight for women. It should be noted that an important factor in the designation process is the First Americans, the Native Americans, their legacy, their heritage, and their cultural and historic resources on the land. But with the Antiquities Act, the lack of diversity reflected in our public units, whether it is parks or national monuments, is changing. President Obama has been using the Antiquities Act to diversify the story of public lands with new designations such as the Cesar Chavez National Monument in Keene, California, which he recently designated.…”