Political Quotes

“the outdoors is a great passion for the people of Oregon, and it is truly a good day for Oregonians. The Omnibus Public Land Management Act contains protection for a number of our special places, our treasures; in the case of Mount Hood, an Oregon icon that is revered by our people. I serve as chairman of the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. I know how important these public lands bills are. The fact is, they are of special benefit from a moral perspective. What we are doing is guaranteeing that these beautiful lands can be passed on to future generations. But they also help fuel our economic engine. The reality is, the protection for the great outdoors boosts our effort to promote recreation which is increasingly a major source of employment. I want to take a few minutes to discuss the five pieces of wilderness legislation I was heavily involved in. Many other Oregonians were as well, countless Oregonians. I also give special thanks to Senator Gordon Smith who contributed mightily to this effort, working with me on this legislation and this package for many years. The legislation passed includes seven key bills I sponsored. The five that add wilderness include: the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007; the Copper Salmon Wilderness Act; the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act; the Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008; and the Spring Basin Wilderness Act of 2008.”