Bob Schaffer: “Mr. Chairman, I am sure that it would be his preference that such an issue were not necessary here on the floor. But the…”

“Mr. Chairman, I am sure that it would be his preference that such an issue were not necessary here on the floor. But the reality is, this is the President of the United States who has necessitated this discussion for clearly abusing and misusing in a reckless fashion the law, which has been on the books for many, many years and as many Presidents previously, as has been indicated before, have used with due discretion and have used in cooperation with local entities, State jurisdictions, and certainly Members of Congress who represent the affected areas. But that is the distinction and the difference. This President has made two fatal errors in his execution of the Antiquities Act: one is by dramatically expanding the coverage of these monuments beyond the archeological or historic focus of what a legitimate monument might constitute; and, secondly, doing so without even the consultation of Members of Congress, who have the ultimate policy-making authority and responsibility where monuments are concerned. But the third thing that this President has done is used the Antiquities Act in establishing monuments in a blatantly political fashion and has consequently jeopardized the underlying purpose of the law and caused us to pay close scrutiny as we do here today.”