Charles Taylor: “Mr. Chairman, today we bring before the House for fiscal year 2004 appropriations a bill for the Department of the…”

“Mr. Chairman, today we bring before the House for fiscal year 2004 appropriations a bill for the Department of the Interior and related agencies. This is a good bill that balances many competing needs and stays within the 302(b) allocations for budget authority. Mr. Chairman, this bill is fiscally responsible, providing about $100 million more than the budget request but nearly $200 million less than the fiscal year 2003 level. The bill takes care of our public lands, the national parks, wildlife refuges, forests, and lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. It has been increased not as much as some would like; and I pledge that in conference, we will try to increase that as much as possible. The bill focuses on conservation initiatives, including operation and maintenance of Federal lands, stateside grants for land preservation and recreation, State wildlife grants, habitat improvements on both public and private lands, eradication of invasive species, and protection of endangered species. We hear arguments that we are not doing enough for the conservation program in this bill. I disagree. There is nearly $1 billion in the bill for programs in the conservation spending category.”