Haley Stevens: “let me mention one final section in the bill. We have had a lot of contention in conferences over the small fishing…”

“let me mention one final section in the bill. We have had a lot of contention in conferences over the small fishing village of King Cove, which lies at the tip of the Alaskan peninsula, 625 miles southwest of Anchorage. It is exposed to the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, and this community is often ravaged by 80-mile-per-hour winds, or more, and by driving sea winds. This extreme weather often shuts down access into or out of King Cove for days at a time. In an effort to improve King Cove's access to emergency medical facilities, I added language to the Interior appropriations bill that would grant a right-of-way from King Cove to the giant airport at Cold Bay. Mr. President, that road would have gone through a portion of the old army military base that is now known as Izembek Wildlife Refuge. This 30-mile road would have provided the cheapest and most reliable means of access to my constituents who live at King Cove. However, the administration raised environmental considerations regarding the wildlife refuge and refused to accept the provision that would authorize the road. After much discussion on a series of options being offered to us by the administration, we have crafted a compromise that provides for the health and safety of the Alaskan Native people of King Cove and still protects the refuge, as it was indicated that the administration believed that was its highest priority.”