Victor Fazio: “as the sponsor of the amendment to restore funding to the Mojave preserve which failed on the House floor, I am deeply…”

“as the sponsor of the amendment to restore funding to the Mojave preserve which failed on the House floor, I am deeply disappointed that the Senate saw fit to accept the House language on this issue. While there are a number of other things wrong with this measure, not the least of which is the mining issue, this back door effort to gut the California Desert Protection Act is of particular concern to me. Congress expressed its will loudly and clearly when it passed the California Desert Protection Act in the last session. Overwhelmingly and with significant Republican support, Congress directed the National Park Service and not the Bureau of Land Management to manage the Mojave preserve. If the new majority in this House seeks to repeal this or any other part of the Desert Act, they should introduce legislation to do that. It should be open and undisguised legislation. We should not let the appropriations process be abused in this way. Supporters of the Desert Act were not afraid to have open and honest debate during the years it took to get this measure enacted. Opponents should allow for the same kind of exhaustive review if they believe they have the support to repeal it. I urge my colleagues to oppose this measure.”