Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte), my friend, and Chairman Grijalva for helping us on this. I rise in support of this bill, H.R. 6427, the Red River National Wildlife Refuge Boundary Modification Act. I urge my colleagues to support it, as well. As has been explained here, it is a straightforward bill that addresses a very simple problem. For years, the Red River Wildlife Refuge in northwest Louisiana, my home turf, has been a boon for hunters and outdoorsmen and other recreationists. Just last year, it hosted over 209,000 visits. That is greater than the population of Shreveport, Louisiana, which is the largest city in my district. Thousands of these visitors went to the refuge for the express purpose of hunting and fishing. The refuge truly has contributed to Louisiana's status as a sportsman's paradise. This is a sentiment that we in Louisiana hold so dear, we print it on every license plate. The refuge's stated goal is to provide for the restoration and conservation of fish and wildlife habitat, including migratory birds, as has been explained here, that all come within the Red River Valley ecosystem. However, the refuge's current structure is insufficient to meet the goals set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, especially for migratory waterfowl. As we stand here today, the refuge can only support about one-third of the birds it is intended to support.…”