Political Quotes

“Today I voted against H.R. 1904, legislation to give public lands away to a mining company without an environmental review, without an independent appraisal of the value of the land and the copper beneath it, and which waived all the safeguards applied to other mining projects. To the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Tribes that live nearby, these lands are sacred. In addition to the environmental devastation, mining will devastate their relationship to this land. The Apache Treaty of 1852 requires the U.S. to act to secure the permanent prosperity and happiness of the Apache people. Instead, this bill facilitates the destruction of their sacred land. This bill requires consultation with tribes only after the exchange, which makes that consultation a mere formality. This bill will not create American jobs to help us out of this recession. Any jobs will not begin for years--and most of the mining will be done by machines deep underground. Rio Tinto has stated the mine will be operated through its ``Mine of the Future'' program, which is heavily automated, saving the company money by avoiding job creation. This legislation undermines basic protections of our public lands, and arguments to the contrary are incorrect and misleading.…”