Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Washington's First District (Ms. DelBene). Ms. DelBENE. Mr. Speaker, I have the honor of representing one of the most beautiful and diverse districts in the country. It includes the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, the North Cascades National Park, and the North Creek Forest, all incredible areas for people throughout our region and across the country to enjoy. Unfortunately, in just 14 days, the congressional authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund will expire. LWCF was established 50 years ago to maintain outdoor recreational opportunities nationwide. It is the only Federal program dedicated to the conservation of our national parks, forests, wildernesses, wildlife refuges, State and local parks, and working forests. Since its inception, the fund has invested $637 million in Washington State projects alone, including three grants for the North Creek Forest, a 64-acre park I visited just last month. A community organization called Friends of North Creek Forest and a college student named Jordan from the University of Washington at Bothell gave me a tour of the forest. For his senior thesis, Jordan has worked with the community and conservation volunteers to clean up the site and design new trails for hikers and hundreds of schoolchildren to enjoy.…”