Political Quotes

“I appreciate the gentlewoman's courtesy and I appreciate the work that has been done with the en bloc amendment, that is, adopted a proposal that I had to fully fund the $1.7 million in reoccurring annual appropriations to meet ongoing operations and maintenance of in-lieu fishing sites along the Columbia River. Mr. Speaker, these are areas that had been fished by Native people for a millennia. But with the construction of the dam projects, they were flooded out. There was an obligation on our part to be able to deal with these sites, some of which are used for year-round housing, and the conditions are appalling in terms of lack of sanitation, distressingly unset, not proper electricity, sewers, or water. I am pleased that we are starting to address this opportunity to be able to do right by these Native people. It is an obligation that is long overdue. If you look at it, it is appalling. These are conditions that one does not expect to see in the United States. These are people who have fished in this area for generations. They deserve to have the Federal Government meet its long overdue obligations to restore those in-lieu fishing sites. I appreciate the committee putting my amendment in the en bloc, and I hope it will move forward so that we can finally square accounts with Native people in these historic sites.”