Tom Udall: “Mr. Chairman, there is a pretty incredible story here tonight. I think of how the Congress has acted in the best…”

“Mr. Chairman, there is a pretty incredible story here tonight. I think of how the Congress has acted in the best interest of the American people. I want to congratulate the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), the ranking member, on how they pulled together what were two very different, divergent bills. It took the leadership of both of these gentlemen, working long and hard over 30 hours with Members and testing I think all of our patience. These were very tough-minded sessions, no doubt. We listened to each other, and I think we really acted in the best interests of the American people. But what this amendment does here this evening is delay funding until fiscal year 2009. And so, what we are talking about, as the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) has said, is $13 billion, $13 billion that was spent from the fund and other places and who knows where. But this one amendment would make us wait once again. The programs that need to be funded now are important programs. They are programs that need adequate funding in this fiscal year. Park plans, farmland, open space are under tremendous development pressure now. Coastlines and marine resources are highly stressed now. Wildlife need habitat now. Inner city kids need recreation areas now. Why would we want to wait until the 109th Congress to fund these programs?”