John Williams: “I thank the Committee on Rules, the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on Agriculture, and the Committee on…”

“I thank the Committee on Rules, the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on Agriculture, and the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries for bringing this bill before us today. The Montana wilderness bill has been under consideration in every Congress since 1986, and with no resolution. So I have begun this process in this Congress with determination, but also with patience, and frustration. I began this process 16 years ago because I believed that this consideration is critically important. Our Federal land managers believe it is critical to the future management of the public land in Montana. Our resource dependent industries, timber and mining, cry out for a resolution and management certainty. Our State's public and our State's private game managers believe it is important if we are to continue our world class quality hunting in Montana without resorting to a lottery. The citizens in our local communities are demanding, insisting, for an end to the 16 years of controversy and disagreement. With this bill, I have introduced five pieces of legislation specifically addressing the remaining RARE II wilderness designations in Montana.”