Jerry Moran

It's possible if the language was more specific, we wouldn't have quite the trouble with it.

Reclaiming my time, the language is clear it applies to all waters, not just navigable waters.

Reclaiming my time, it's clear that's not just the waterway. That includes all of the land. The entire park on this national preserve, they can't carry out their responsibilities. We're not just talking about the water.

In response to my very good friend, it appears that the conduct--it appears--the conduct of these park rangers was wrong. So they have been reassigned. And I'm sure that whoever has responsibility now in that jurisdiction has been told you…

Well, first of all, I would like to ask my good friend: Why is this not an earmark? Why is this not an earmark for one particular national preserve? While we are considering that, perhaps Mr. Young can come up with an explanation. And I…

I believe we must carefully review all Federal funding to ensure that we are budgeting for critical needs appropriately.

As I have said publicly and privately to the chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I congratulate him for taking the initiative and showing the commitment to the Indian Health Service by increasing it by $369 million this…

Reclaiming my time, I don't know this business about playing by the rules and punishing people who don't. It seems to me that the Interior Department is trying to play by the rules that the Congress instructed it to play by. But…

Woman, this is a distinction without a difference. The money still goes away. The argument that was made by the chairman of the committee still stands, as far as I can see. And so even though the amendment may be worded a little…

I agree with the chairman of the committee again that this amendment should be opposed. But I would also mention that I don't know how fast the administration could issue drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico that would be fast enough…

I rise to agree with the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee just as I did with the last amendment. The idea of a bloated bureaucracy, when you've taken $53 million out of the Secretary's office, it seems to me, is misplaced where…

Reclaiming my time, I understand that the gentleman wants to make that point. I understand the challenges that are faced in the area that he represents. I was similarly confused, though, when there was a substantial amendment to strip…

I am not necessarily rising to oppose this, but to point out some deficiencies in the amendment itself. The claim is that the purpose of the amendment is to ensure that the National Park Service prioritizes its construction of law…

The gentlelady is smiling, so I will accept her concurrence. We will move forward in that fashion if the gentlelady wouldn't mind withdrawing her amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

I think we have a problem in the amendment, itself, because it would specifically designate a study that might be interpreted as some type of earmark, which I don't think it really is. I like what the gentlelady is trying to do. I think…

Not only were they there but Team 6 that had just dealt with Osama bin Laden in a fairly definitive manner, SEAL Team 6 was there. We couldn't identify them, but we all applauded for them, and they couldn't have been more overjoyed. The…

First of all, I'm not sure why you want the Beach Boys to be the issue here. We were just discussing Mr. Watt's tenure as Secretary of the Interior. That was not so successful when he came after the Beach Boys. But be that as it may, what…

I want our side to go on record in support of what Mr. Tonko and Mr. Dent are proposing. We have worked with them on this amendment. This is the kind of program that really ought to have unanimous support in the House. I mean, we're…

I have the voting record from February 16. I know the gentleman will recall H.R. 1 and the debate that ensued. In H.R. 1, the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund was zeroed out, and so I had an amendment to restore $50 million to the…

I do think it might be instructive that Mr. Pombo is no longer among our ranks and the principle reason is the Endangered Species Act authorization that he attempted to write which was so destructive of the original intent of the…

Well, that's it. Reclaiming my time, the shot across the bow goes right into the heart of the Endangered Species Act. So you are picking winners and losers. You could have picked any number of programs, but you like those. In fact, some of…

I was going to wait until other speakers spoke, but I felt it appropriate to engage in a discussion here with the chairman and to remind him that this bill includes funding for a multitude of expired authorizations. The Bureau of Land…

I wish that our friends who just spoke on an amendment to add $20 million were still around, because their points are well taken. We've already cut 78 percent from this program. The gentleman from Colorado wants to eliminate it entirely…

I am a strong supporter of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. It's one of the great environmental success stories of the past 50 years. The $65.8 million that the bill contains for the Land and Water Conservation Fund is in fact, as has…

I claim time in opposition to the amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Virginia is recognized for 5 minutes.