Thomas Daschle: “the Missouri River is one of our nation's greatest natural resources. Millions of visitors travel to the river each year…”

“the Missouri River is one of our nation's greatest natural resources. Millions of visitors travel to the river each year to hunt, camp and fish. Millions more Americans rely on the Missouri's federal dams for affordable electricity. And, tens of thousands of South Dakotans depend upon the river as their only source of clean drinking water. The river is rich in history. For thousands of years, Native Americans have lived along the river, and countless sites of deep spiritual and cultural importance to tribes line its shores. The river was also part of the route used by Lewis and Clark as they explored our nation. As we approach the bicentennial of that journey, it is expected that millions of Americans will visit the Missouri River to retrace their steps. Because the river is so important to the economy of our nation and to its heritage, it is critical that we meet head-on the growing array of challenges that it is facing. That is why I am introducing the Missouri River Restoration Act of 2000. This legislation will provide critically needed resources to ensure that future generations will continue to benefit from the river as we do today. I am deeply concerned by the dramatic changes that we have witnessed since the construction of four federal dams on the river in South Dakota decades ago. These dams, which have prevented billions of dollars of flood-related damage downstream to cities like St. Louis, have altered the natural flow of the river.”