Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his time and his leadership on this issue. I come to the floor today as the co-chair of the largest bipartisan caucus in the United States Congress: the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus. On behalf of the millions of sportsmen and -women around the country, I say to the Federal Government, enough is enough. We will not be intimidated; we will not be strong-armed; and we will not be silent. States have enjoyed a cooperative relationship with the Federal Government for years on wildlife management, and this is a disturbing shift that we have seen in the last administration. Though I come to the floor today in defense of Alaska's management rights of national wildlife refuges, this sets a disturbing precedent for the lower 48 States. It is a disturbingly brazen power grab by the Federal Government against the law, in spite of loud and widespread opposition at the local level. The rule removes Alaska's authority to manage fish and wildlife for both nonsubsistence and subsistence uses in Federal wildlife. The action by the last administration violated the clear letter of the Alaska Statehood Act, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, and the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act. I encourage my colleagues to support what we are doing today and stand in support of the good men and women, the outdoorsmen in the great State of Alaska.…”