Political Quotes

“the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is truly the crown jewel of our national park system. With towering mountains, clear streams, and a diversity of wildlife, Tennessee is fortunate to have such a tremendous treasure in our own backyard. During the Senate's July break, I returned to the Smokies, to once again hike Mt. LeConte, this year with my oldest son, Harrison. Our hike up the Alum Cave trail was exhilirating, and we spent the night at LeConte Lodge, watching the sunset, and enjoying the hearty meals and good fellowship of fellow hikers. My trip to the Smokies this month had another purpose, too. This year, I invited EPA Administrator Christie Whitman to join me in order for her to see first-hand the air quality problem that plagues our beautiful park. Over the coming months, Congress and President Bush's Administration will analyze and pursue policies to improve our nation's air quality. As this process moves forward, I wanted to make sure that the President's top official responsible for protecting our environment heard directly from park officials and saw for herself the unique challenge facing the Smokies. As the first EPA Administrator to ever visit the park, Administrator Whitman demonstrated her personal commitment to address the pollution problem.”