Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Congressman Cook, a fellow Marine, for crafting this bill before us. H.R. 496 establishes the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area on approximately 18,000 acres of Federal land in southern California. Only a few hours' drive from Hollywood, Alabama Hills features a unique collection of rock formations which attracted filmmakers for a decade, as the gentleman has told us. The area's unusual landscape has served as the backdrop for famous television and movie scenes, including ``Bonanza'' and even now great movies like ``Iron Man.'' By incorporating the area into BLM's National Conservation Lands, the establishment of the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area will promote permanent protection of the area and encourage tourism and recreational activities. Mr. Speaker, this bill provides a model for responsible conservation that we should seek to emulate across the country. There are areas of Federal land throughout the United States that deserve enhanced protection. I hope we can continue to work in a bipartisan manner to preserve them for future generations through locally driven conservation initiatives. For now, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I look forward to working with the majority to identify additional opportunities to protect public land. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”