Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss our national lands and monuments and explore both our accomplishments and some of our future opportunities. As you know, the Antiquities Act was passed 110 years ago. Ten years later, in 1916, the National Park System was created. And since then, there have been 151 national monuments created, 84 of them by Republican Presidents--the majority of those by Republican Presidents-- showing that this act and its impact is truly bipartisan and American in every sense. I would also like to call your attention to the accomplishments of our current President, Barack Obama, whom historian Douglas Brinkley calls a Theodore Roosevelt for the 21st century, owing to his commitment to preserving our national heritage, protecting our public places, and ensuring that, whether it is of importance because of its value for wilderness, cultural, or historical impact, we are ensuring all Americans have a chance to enjoy and appreciate our heritage. I also rise today, Mr. Speaker, to suggest a way that the President can continue this legacy and set the stage for the next 100 years. Castner Range, pictured behind me, in El Paso, Texas, is 7,000 acres in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert rising into Rocky Mountain peaks that start at the southern end of that national mountain chain and has rare plant and animal species that distinguish it as a place worthy of preservation.…”