Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the Foxx Amendment that seeks to gut the Antiquities Act and add unnecessary bureaucracy. The Antiquities Act is the best tool in the tool box for saving America's heritage--cultural and natural--to respect what our ancestors set aside for us and to inspire, educate, and enlighten future generations. The Antiquities Act has a long bipartisan tradition. After being signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt, sixteen presidents of both parties--8 Republicans and 8 Democrats--have used this Act to protect federally-owned lands and waters to better protect America's treasures for future generations. The Antiquities Act protects our national heritage. Sites like the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon, and the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument and in my Congressional District the Pinnacles National Monument have been protected through the Antiquities Act. The Foxx Amendment seeks to gut the Antiquities Act. The Antiquities Act was specifically designed to allow presidents to respond quickly to protect places in the national interest. Had the Antiquities Act been written with Rep. Foxx's language, the Grand Canyon would be overrun by sprawl, ancient cliff dwellings and the Petrified Forest National Park would have been looted, and Arches National Park wouldn't even exist. The Foxx Amendment is poorly conceived.…”