Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, today I rise to offer an amendment to prevent the Fish and Wildlife Service from closing fish hatcheries across the United States. I want to thank the chairman and his staff for all their dedication and for preventing the closure of these hatcheries in the underlying bill. My amendment only clarifies their language to ensure that it prevents closure of hatcheries and archives, which operate a little bit differently within the hatchery system. For example, the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives has been a cornerstone of the community in Spearfish, South Dakota, with over 150,000 visitors annually. It was originally established in 1896 to introduce and maintain trout in the Black Hills of South Dakota, but it is much more than a fish hatchery. It is home to an 1800's era museum, a 1910 railroad car, priceless artifacts, and educational opportunities for children. Moving these items would cost taxpayers, which doesn't make any sense, given the tens of thousands of volunteer hours and private funds that are leveraged to run this hatchery. I want to thank the chairman for working with me to preserve these hatcheries and archives that are certainly of cultural significance. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to prevent their closure. I yield to the chairman.”