Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, to the ranking member from California, it is 37 degrees below zero in Minnesota with the wind chill. Come on over. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 197, the Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2025. Lake Winnibigoshish, or Lake Winnie, as it is also known, is located within the boundaries of the Chippewa National Forest and is home to Bowen Lodge, a premier, family-owned fishing lodge. Bowen Lodge has been in operation and welcoming guests since 1925. For the past four decades, Bill and Gail Heig and their family have operated Bowen Lodge, serving as great stewards of Lake Winnie and providing incredible fishing and vacation memories for Minnesotans and other out-of-towners over these many years. Currently, Bowen Lodge has a 20-year agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to lease 17\1/2\ acres of shoreline along the lake, where they operate their marina. Under the Heigs' stewardship, Lake Winnie has remained accessible to citizens of Itasca County and the many people who visit. Notably, the Heigs purchased extra acreage in 2021 after an out-of- State mega resort developer sought to purchase a parcel of land, which would have changed the face of Lake Winnie forever. Now Bowen Lodge is seeking to convey that extra acreage to the Chippewa National Forest.…”