Political Quotes

“I thank Mr. Clay and Mr. Hardy for their work and support of this very important legislation. I thank Mr. Grijalva and Chairman Bishop for bringing this bill to the floor, yet another Mount Hood bill. My colleague and friend from Oregon, Earl Blumenauer, and I actually backpacked 3 nights, 4 days around Mount Hood, 9,000 feet up and down, elevation gain and loss. We hiked with environmentalists, foresters, ornithologists, biologists, and geologists. We put together a big bipartisan legislative effort. It took 3\1/2\ years. Part of this effort was making sure that a very sensitive part around Mount Hood in the Crystal Springs watershed was exchanged out so that the development didn't occur there and it occurred in an area that already has development, a more appropriate setting. That is what this is really all about. The legislation that ultimately passed the Congress was a little different than what Representative Blumenauer and I started with because we feared this very result could happen, that it would be delayed for years and years and years because we have seen it happen before. Be that as it may, we are here today, 7 years later, after the Congress had told the agency to get this done in 16 months, which should be all the time that is necessary. Seven years later, we are back with a second piece of legislation, confirming the mediation, working this through so that we can get this exchange done thoughtfully, completely, and finally get this done.…”