Pete Domenici: “I merely ask the Secretary, what is going on? Are we Members of the Congress? Can only a very few Members comment on…”

“I merely ask the Secretary, what is going on? Are we Members of the Congress? Can only a very few Members comment on this rule in private, as is implied in this memo? "After you meet, maybe the rule will be changed," this memo says, "in which event we will change the press release," the memo says. Is that the way the Secretary is going to handle working with the West, working with those who are affected, sending a memo like this? Maybe he does not know it went out. Nevertheless, we cannot sit around, even those who want to help. The Secretary does not have any reason to believe that what he finally approves of might not be something I may want to help him with. I know from the beginning that I cannot get everything I want for the ranchers and multiple users. But I do not want to be dealt out, and I think this is a way to deal us out. And, Mr. Secretary, I think it is more than just dealing out those in the Senate who apparently are opposed to this program. Maybe that is all right, but how can you deal out the people you say you are dealing with? You are supposed to be dealing with the users and everybody else out there, then you meet with another group and say, here is the suggested way we are going to handle it. Another group of three Members of the House and one Member of the Senate. I do not think it is right. I think the Secretary ought to take a look at this situation and maybe call a few of us together and, as I indicated, just tell us what is up.”