Niki Tsongas

These lands belong to all Americans, that they are part of our national heritage, and that we have to keep this in mind as many difficult decisions are being made.

These constraints require the Army, the Department of Defense [DOD], and Congress to closely examine the appropriate distribution of active Guard and Reserve forces.

The Army is being asked to do more with less against an array of diverse and complex global threats.

I appreciate, Admiral Moran, your talking about the manual backup oxygen system, but I think we all would be concerned by the fact that you are asking a potentially incapacitated pilot to sort of help himself out of this.

We here in Congress have no greater responsibility than making sure that the men and women we send into harm's way are provided with the best and safest equipment available.

I think we would all like to someday talk about something other than war in Afghanistan.

Private investment cannot take the place of the Federal responsibility.

It is a missed opportunity to not maximize for private investment.

The parks do not belong to one state or to one section. . . . The Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon are national properties in which every citizen has a vested interest; they belong as much to the man and woman of Massachusetts…

I remain concerned that whatever our way forward may be, how best we secure those gains, that we don't trade them away in a reconciliation process.

I thank Mr. Polis. As my colleague stated, title III would require anyone who challenges a project on forest land in the Federal court system to put up a bond covering all litigation expenses of the government. Plaintiffs would only get…

I want to close by reiterating that, instead of working together on a bipartisan basis to improve the health of our national forests, this bill irresponsibly chips away at the environmental safeguards of the National Environmental Policy…

May I inquire as to how much time I have left? The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Massachusetts has 1\1/4\ minutes remaining.

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Massachusetts will be postponed. Amendment Offered by Mr. Gosar

I just want to reiterate that the riders in the underlying bill will do nothing to help our native species but, instead, only serve to cause uncertainty and delay, undermining all the concerted effort by many stakeholders, all seeking to…

I would like to first comment that Massachusetts, at one time, was home to the Heath Hen, which is the greater sage-grouse's cousin. Because at that time we did not have an Endangered Species Act, that Heath Hen is now, unfortunately…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: limitation on use of funds to implement or enforce…

I do appreciate that my colleague across the aisle has said that it does make perfect sense to have an ocean policy. The ocean policy is a business plan for the oceans that seeks to maximize the benefits for all of its shareholders, the…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: Beginning at page 124, line 17, strike section 425. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 333, the gentlewoman from…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: Page 16, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert ``(increased by $30,000,000) (reduced by $30,000,000)''. The Acting CHAIR…

Thank you, Mr. Frelinghuysen. I look forward to working with you, and I appreciate that construction. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking member of the Defense Subcommittee. Is that your understanding?

There exists tremendous momentum to complete the Federal land management plans and strengthen state conservation efforts.

Right now, there are unprecedented and proactive partnerships throughout the West working to conserve sage brush habitat.

I urge my colleagues to reject this misguided amendment and vote to protect the scientific integrity of the Endangered Species Act, as well as the integrity of the NDAA.

``. . . a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two- thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be…