Political Quotes

“This amendment would prohibit the use of any Federal funds to implement, administer, or enforce the Presidential proclamation that establishes the ancestral footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona, an area significant to many Tribal nations. The Antiquities Act provides the President with the authority to designate national monuments in order to protect objects of historic or scientific interest. This amendment inappropriately restricts the President's ability to declare national monuments in specific parts of the country. Both Republican and Democratic Presidents have used this authority to increase the protection of special Federal lands. It goes against 100 years of American tradition to protect the nation's cultural and natural resources. The Antiquities Act represents an important achievement in the progress of conservation and preservation efforts in the United States. Congress should not stand in the way of these achievements. I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.”