Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for the time and for her longstanding commitment to public land in her State and throughout the Nation. I also want to thank all of the sponsors from California to Washington who have done tremendous work on the individual titles that make up the package of bills before us today. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2546, Protecting America's Wilderness Act. Congress passed the Wilderness Act in 1964 in response to concerns about population growth and increasing development. The reason for the act is more pressing now than ever. Since then, wilderness designations have served as a key tool for protecting pristine places in their natural state for the benefit of current and future generations of Americans. This package truly embodies the spirit of the Wilderness Act, something that is often dismissed by many of my colleagues across the aisle. Each title was developed through a multiyear collaborative process with diverse and locally driven coalitions that have demonstrated that these places are worthy of protection as wilderness. They provided abundant recreational opportunities to help support local economies, teach visitors about our Nation's diverse heritage, and allow people to find solitude and peace in nature. They protect some of the last and best refuges for wildlife in the face of a changing environment and play a vital role in safeguarding the natural systems that our communities rely on.…”