Victor Fazio: “this does not need to be a lengthy debate, because I think it is a rather simple question that the Members need to…”

“this does not need to be a lengthy debate, because I think it is a rather simple question that the Members need to decide here today. This amendment, which is budget neutral, would reverse what I believe is a back-door effort to gut the provisions of the California Desert Protection Act. As all the Members who served in the last Congress know, that act took us at least 3 weeks to pass this House of Representatives. It was the culmination of some 8 years of hearings and consideration in every Congress, during the last 4. It was finally signed into law by the President during the last Congress after a tremendous outpouring of political support in California, in the desert and nationally. Major changes were made in the bill on the House floor to address a number of concerns of landowners and outdoor enthusiasts. We dealt with problems and needs of the gunners and off-road vehicle people, we dealt with the needs of grazers and miners who had long used the area. And when the House acted, it did so with an overwhelming vote of 298 to 128, including the support of 45, as a matter of fact, with two conversions, 47 Republicans who served in the last Congress. The Senate passed it by an over 2-to-1 majority. Now we have an attempt here, probably in a 10- or 15-minute debate, in a very brief debate after a tremendous struggle that took place in the last Congress.”