Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to speak about one of the things that I love most about Montana--the North Fork of the Flathead River. Everyone who experiences the Flathead Valley in northwestern Montana is awed by its pristine waters, larger than life landscapes, and raw wilderness. With its headwaters in British Columbia, the North Fork of the Flathead River forms the western boundary of Glacier- Waterton International Peace Park. It is one of the last untouched places on our continent. For decades, the North Fork has been threatened by oil and gas and mining proposals in British Columbia. For the last 35 years, I have battled these proposals, one by one, each time victorious. After 35 years, we are beginning a new chapter of international cooperation in the North Fork. In February of this year, British Columbia and Montana signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to prevent mining, oil and gas, and coalbed methane development in the watershed. Senator Tester and I have negotiated the retirement of the primary interest in about 200,000 acres on the U.S. side of the border--about 80 percent of the leased acreage--without cost to the American taxpayer. In June of this year, we asked President Obama to work with Canadian Prime Minister Harper to put in place measures to establish permanent protections for the North Fork. On June 28, the two met in Canada, and pledged cooperative efforts to protect this one of a kind ecosystem.…”