Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 2476 amends the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 to update the use of ski permits to include other snow sports in addition to Nordic and alpine skiing, and to provide guidelines and clarification to the Secretary regarding other year-round recreational activities on Forest Service lands. This bill is sponsored by Representative DeGette, and has 16 cosponsors, and the Forest Service supports this legislation. The original statute was enacted in 1986, before new sports like snowboarding grew into popularity. Additionally, many ski areas operate year-round activities like summertime mountain biking on the slopes. This bill will not alter any forest management plan or the need for strict environmental compliance on Federal lands. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.”