Chellie Pingree: “This amendment would bar the use of any Federal funds to create national monuments under the Antiquities Act in Malheur…”

“This amendment would bar the use of any Federal funds to create national monuments under the Antiquities Act in Malheur County, Oregon. 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 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. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.”