Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I think it is interesting that this amendment is coming up, as it has in the past, because it simply proves the point we have been trying to make. The larger point is that this bill is simply too broad. It covers every possible mineral you could mine, including potash. I think the gentleman from New Mexico would agree that potash is not a strategic and critical mineral. It does not need the environmental review waivers that this bill would provide. What many of my colleagues and I are saying is that potash is no different from many other minerals. The concern for southeastern New Mexico is that potash development and oil and gas drilling should be able to occur without conflict. This bill would threaten that. Well, we want to make sure that mineral development doesn't conflict with other things as well throughout the country, like hunting, fishing, camping, grazing, recreating, conserving, and other legitimate uses. Unfortunately, this bill threatens that, and we are likely not going to grant exemptions for these purposes like we are for the oil and gas industry. I would certainly like it if sportsmen were protected from hastily adopted and permitted sand and gravel quarries the same way you want your oil and gas drillers to be protected from hastily permitted potash mines. Interestingly, potash is a mineral where we import over 80 percent of our supply. We are entirely self-sufficient in sand and gravel.…”