Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I don't rise every day to oppose amendments offered by Senator Lee. I am afraid I am going to have to oppose this one for a couple of reasons. One, as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and as a recovering Governor who has helped run a State and was actually the chair of the National Governors Association for a while, I believe this amendment undercuts the National Environmental Policy Act and the Federal Government's important role in managing our Federal lands. While I appreciate the need for Federal Agencies and States to work together to minimize wildfire risks on our public lands, this amendment, I am sorry to say, misses the mark. Specifically, this amendment would require--and I underline the word ``require''--this amendment would require the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to allow States to take over Federal responsibilities for environmental reviews of many activities on public lands. This would be a significant change in the management of our public lands, which belong, as we know, to all Americans. Although Senator Lee's proposal is modeled on a program at the Department of Transportation that allows States to assume some responsibilities for highway projects, this amendment is far broader in scope and impact and lacks the numerous safeguards that are in place for the highway program.…”