On the recordDecember 11, 2014
as I start my comments on the land title legislation before us, I would be remiss if I did not mention the incredible work our chair Mary Landrieu has done on this legislation. As we just heard from the tribute to her service over the last few minutes, as the Presiding Officer said in his comments, if you Google ``bipartisan,'' there will be a picture of Mary Landrieu. I think this title sort of embodies that. We owe great gratitude to Chairman Landrieu and to Ranking Member Murkowski for the incredible negotiation and work they have put into this package. We stand on the cusp of passing one of the most significant pieces of public land legislation since the omnibus bill of 2009. I stand here to speak on behalf of this well-balanced package which is absolutely critical for jobs across the Western United States and particularly from the perspective of my home State of New Mexico. I want to say that absolutely none of this would be possible were it not for the years of effort and support from the local communities that helped to craft this legislation. Thanks to their work, New Mexico's critical public land-based economic engine will continue to grow and the energy, tourism, and sporting and recreation sectors. New wilderness and National Park Service units will continue to make New Mexico an unmatched destination for world travelers as well as to the local families who have known for centuries that New Mexico truly is the land of enchantment.…
