Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 497 authorizes a land exchange in California between the San Bernardino Valley Conservation District and the Bureau of Land Management. After 15 years, stakeholders have finalized the habitat conservation plan for the Santa Ana River Wash that balances the needs of endangered wildlife with regional economic development. This is a stellar example of the Endangered Species Act at work, and I commend Representative Cook for his work on this bill. This land exchange is a key component of the Habitat Conservation Plan and a win-win for all parties. It will help protect important wildlife habitat while allowing the conservation district to increase water storage capacity and direct mining activity into the appropriate areas. So again, this is exactly how the Endangered Species Act should work. It is something we should all support. This is a good bill, and I urge swift adoption by the House. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”