Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2551, introduced by our colleague, Representative John Curtis. This bill will adjust management boundaries to allow the advancement of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, while also designating nearby U.S. Forest Service land for permanent protection. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is a regional multiuse concept trail that will stretch 280 miles from the Idaho border to Nephi, Utah. Currently, more than 90 miles of the trail have been built. Certain areas of the trail are currently impeded, preventing hikers and cyclists from enjoying the full scope of recreational opportunities it is meant to offer. While advancement of the trail will expand access to recreation in two of Utah's most populated counties and ensure that local residents and visitors can take advantage of the trail for years to come, which, of course, is a good thing, it is my understanding that this particular proposal has also been part of a broader discussion known as the Mountain Accord that is designed to deal with a number of regional transportation and land-use planning issues. I encourage the local stakeholders to keep working on that plan to solve ongoing issues and advance even more meaningful conservation protections for the Wasatch Mountains. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”