Political Quotes

“What a fortuitous moment to have the opportunity to follow my colleague from California. Indeed, I do know something about the Interior budget. I was the Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Interior, and I know full good and well what the Department of the Interior means to America. Early this morning, I left Sacramento. My mind was very much on the debate you just suggested: What are we going to do about the deficit? But it didn't take long to realize, as I sat by the window, as I moved over the Sierra Nevada mountains into Nevada, then across to the Rockies, and across this entire Nation--for most of the way, it was rather clear--that we have an awesome, unbelievably beautiful country. We're the strongest Nation in the world, and we have great economic strength. This bill, however, would take this great Nation, the great beauty and the incredible people of America, and put them at risk. It would put this Nation's extraordinary beauty and resources at risk. That's what this is about. This isn't going to solve the budget deficit one way or the other. This is a miniscule part of the overall Federal budget. It is important--important because it is about this Nation's physical and human health. We're talking about the Environmental Protection Agency. This bill as written would bring to the people of America poison. It is the poisoning of our rivers and our air.…”