Political Quotes

“S. 208 as reported from the Energy and Natural Resources Committee would reform the process by which the National Park Service awards contracts to private persons or corporations who seek to do business inside our national parks. The legislation has been before our committee in one form or another for many, many years. It has been the subject of numerous hearings, some as early as 1979, and has been considered at several committee business meetings. Throughout this process, under the leadership of the Senator from Arkansas, Mr. [Bumpers], who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Public Lands, National Parks and Forests, we have crafted a very reasonable and progressive bill. This measure is a bipartisan measure. It was ordered reported by the committee by a vote of 16 to 4. Our colleague from Utah, Senator Bennett, worked very closely with Senator Bumpers to craft the compromise bill before us today. In fact, Senator Bennett, who is one of the renowned businessmen of this body, put a businessman's approach to the matter of concessions in national parks, and I think our result is one that utilizes the best of business principles, that is competition, so that the park concessions will be awarded to the very best of the applicants.”