Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to join my colleagues in opposition to H.R. 1459. This bill will clearly undermine the Antiquities Act, one of our country's most important environmental and historic preservation tools, and one that has been critical to protecting beautiful land in my home State of Delaware. Currently, Delaware is the only State in the Union without a national park. That means that every summer as families flip through the guidebooks of national parks and search through the Internet for outdoor vacation ideas, Delaware is not on the map, except, of course, for our beautiful beaches. The good news is that, last year, the Antiquities Act helped fix this problem. It allowed for the creation of the First State National Monument, including the historic Woodlawn property, through a process that involved broad public input and public participation. The Woodlawn property is 1,100 historic acres spanning the border of Delaware and Pennsylvania. It had been privately owned and used for public recreation for over 100 years and was about to be sold, potentially leading to extensive residential development. In response to considerable public outcry about the possible loss of this great property, a private foundation, the Mt. Cuba Center, stepped in with an incredibly generous donation of more than $20 million to protect the property for future generations.…”