George Miller: “I think that he is correct and that I concur on the plain reading of the amendment and I have some concerns with it. And…”

“I think that he is correct and that I concur on the plain reading of the amendment and I have some concerns with it. And that is that when we originally discussed this, I believe the original Pombo amendment was to go to the creation of a new refuge, that Congress ought to be involved in that decision and that ought to take a direct authorization. I think there was sort of general agreement about that, but what we have here is not only the creation but the expansion of that new refuge. And I think what the gentleman from New York [Mr. Nadler] is reading is in fact correct on its face; and that is that any expansion, be it 20 acres or 200 acres, would require a direct authorization. I think that would be even true in the case where you have a willing seller and a willing buyer. So you would have to come back to Congress and wait around for that. There has been the discussion of an emergency situation, but there is no reference or I do not understand the reference to an emergency situation of 20 or 30 acres, because it says quite specifically, pursuant to recommendations of the Fish and Wildlife Service to create or expand a new refuge, that it cannot be done without specific authorization of Congress. And that goes to the expansion, and there is no acreage limitation on the issue of expansion.”