John Hansen: “I rise in support of H.R. 517, a bill to improve the management and protection of the Chaco outliers in the Four Corners…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 517, a bill to improve the management and protection of the Chaco outliers in the Four Corners region. Mr. Speaker, in 1980 Congress recognized the outstanding collection of archeological sites related to the Anasazi ruins at Chaco Canyon and established the Chaco outliers as additional resources worthy of recognition and protection. Subsequent analysis by the interagency team overseeing the management of these sites has led to the development of this legislation; which deletes some sites, adds other sites, and modifies the boundaries at some existing sites. This is a good bill. I particularly want to note that this legislation provides for cooperative management of these sites by the Federal Government, native Americans, and private property owners. This is a good model which underscores the point that the Federal Government does not need to own cultural resources in order to ensure their protection. I commend the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Richardson] for his longstanding efforts to complete work on this bill, and I am pleased that we are able to move it early in the session. I urge all my colleagues to support the bill.”