Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. For the record, this bill will not affect LWCF funds at all. All the money for the fund comes from existing oil and gas activities in the central and western Gulf of Mexico. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is credited with the first $900 million in offshore revenues. Last year, those revenues were $4.7 billion, and projections are that existing activity in the Gulf of Mexico is enough to keep the fund going for a long, long time. We don't need to drill in the Atlantic or the Pacific or near Florida to find more money. Revenues are not a problem. The real problem is that only twice in the history of the fund has Congress appropriated the full $900 million that it should get. In fact, over time, we have collected $37.8 billion of revenue that should have been spent on LWCF, but Congress has appropriated less than half, $18.4 billion. Revenue is not the issue. This permanent protection for Florida coastal areas is not going to hurt the fund. It has been stated three times already by my friends on the other side of the aisle, but that is completely false. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”