Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier). Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from California for yielding. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1719, the John Muir National Historic Site Expansion Act. This bipartisan legislation will expand the Martinez, California, historic site in my district that celebrates the life and legacy of John Muir. Muir was a lifelong conservationist, a leading advocate of the National Park Service, and a cofounder of the Sierra Club. He worked to establish and protect national parks, including Yosemite, Sequoia, Grand Canyon, and Mount Rainier. The John Muir National Historic Site, which includes the home where he lived, covers 330 acres of Contra Costa County where Muir championed the revolutionary idea that wild spaces should be set aside for all to enjoy. This bill would make it possible for the National Park Service to accept a donation of 44 acres of land from the John Muir Land Trust, improving access to the park and its scenic trails, including those on Mount Wanda, named after Muir's eldest daughter. The trail systems are accessible for hikers, bikers, and equestrians, including critical connections to the 550-mile Bay Area Ridge Trail and to nearby protected lands along the Franklin Ridge corridor. As John Muir once said, ``everybody needs beauty, as well as bread, places to play in . . .…”