Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2793, the Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act, is led by my colleague, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney. The bill reauthorizes funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service to protect and conserve the Highlands region. The beautiful Highlands region spans 3.4 million acres across Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. This area has retained its splendor due in part to the passage of the Highlands Conservation Act of 2004, which authorized the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Forest Service to work with State and local governments and NGOs to conserve this ecosystem. Since 2004, $28 million in Federal funds, matched by $53 million in non-Federal funds, have permanently protected almost 13,000 acres of land. These lands protect clean, safe drinking water; sustain healthy forests and wildlife populations; encourage productive agriculture; and provide quality recreation opportunities for the public. I commend my colleague for his leadership on this bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Highlands Conservation Act and ensure the continued success of this program. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.”