the Nickles amendment is a historic vote. Since 1906, virtually every President of the United States has used the Antiquities Act to protect valuable, irreplaceable national treasures, such as the Grand Tetons and Olympic National Park. With this Nickles amendment, the party of Teddy Roosevelt officially abandons its commitment to his environmental legacy. Without as much of a minute of hearings on this issue, the Nickles amendment strips the President of the authority he has had for generations to protect America's natural and national treasures. The Grand Old Party works overtime to protect the legacy of the wealthy from taxation but refuses to protect the legacies of meadows, rivers, mountains, and forests for our children. Vote ``no'' on the Nickles amendment.
On the recordJuly 18, 2000
Source
govinfo.govEditor's note · Context
Opposing the Nickles amendment related to the Antiquities Act during Senate floor debate.
Share
More from Dick Durbin
Aug 24, 2026
The lawmakers also emphasized that the Trump Administration’s definition of medical frailty far exceeds what is outlined in the law itself and creates additional onerous barriers for both patients and states.
Aug 14, 2026
It was a grave mistake for the Senate to approve Todd Blanche as the next Attorney General.
Aug 24, 2026
“The highest court in the land shouldn’t have the lowest ethical standards. Public trust in the Supreme Court remains near historic lows, and every story of a luxury gift or questionable failure to recuse contributes to it. The American…
Aug 14, 2026
I still have five or six months at this job and I’m planning on running through the tape.





