Pete Domenici: “First, I thank you for your leadership in this regard. Some people think that it is only New Mexico and Utah and Wyoming…”

“First, I thank you for your leadership in this regard. Some people think that it is only New Mexico and Utah and Wyoming that have forest fire problems and that have forests that are clogged to the gills because we have not maintained and cleaned them. Some think the only infested forests are in Alaska. As I understand it, you have all of those and probably in larger quantities than most of us combined. I say, for those of us who have been trying desperately to get a bill that treated these situations in a way that could be solved, it was truly a Godsend that we got some powerful and thinking Democrats who decided to join us. You are one of them. Senator Wyden, I thank you. There are more than the two of you. But every time we needed a voice, you were there. I don't know what they said about you at home. I don't know what those people who don't want to do anything said about you. But I assumed they didn't say all nice things because every time you try to modify the law, there is somebody back home who runs an ad that you are trying to log all the forests in the State or that you don't care about preserving the beauty of your State, that you have just turned yours over to the logging industry.”