Ed Markey: “the name of this bill is the American Land Sovereignty Protection Act. Most Americans would be surprised to learn that…”

“the name of this bill is the American Land Sovereignty Protection Act. Most Americans would be surprised to learn that America's sovereignty over its lands is at risk here this afternoon and in need of protection. It would have been leading every news story in America for the past week, because it is 130 years since the end of the Civil War, the last time our national sovereignty was directly threatened. There does not appear to be any imminent threat of invasion from Canada or Mexico. The Russians are having a tough time with the Chechnyans. So just where does this threat to America's national sovereignty come from? What group of Fifth Columnists stand ready to betray us? What band of modern day Benedict Arnolds is threatening America? According to the bill's sponsor, the answer is very simple: It is Bruce Babbitt. That is right. According to the bill, America's national sovereignty is threatened by our own Secretary of the Interior and the Babbitt brigade serving under him. The danger to our national sovereignty comes not from some foreign despot or from some dictator, but from the risk that Bruce Babbitt might actually name sites such as Yellowstone Park and the Everglades to the U.N. List of World Heritage Sites. According to this bill, we cannot trust Bruce Babbitt, so we will not let him name any site to the World Heritage List without prior congressional approval. So what are we worried about?…”