Sam Gibbons: “I want to respond, and I want to oppose the amendment of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee). Mr. Chairman, the…”

“I want to respond, and I want to oppose the amendment of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee). Mr. Chairman, the National Academy of Sciences indicated prior to the issuance of the regulations that we are questioning today, the 3809 changes by the Clinton administration, the National Academy of Sciences issued a report prior to the existence of those regulations that the current 3809 regulations on hardrock mining on public lands, stated that the "existing array of Federal and State laws regulating mining is effective in protecting the environment." They did not say we needed additional regulations for that. They said the existing array of regulations are effective in protecting the environment. What we have here, Mr. Chairman, is an attack on the mining industry. I am proud to say that America's mining industry is the world's most modern, technically advanced and environmentally responsible mining industry, and I am proud as an American to have the mining industry especially in our State, the State of Nevada.”