Political Quotes

“I tried to listen very carefully to my friend from northern California. Number one, I would love to come visit and talk to his farmers and his ranchers, with his permission and accompaniment. Number two, I think if there is administrative misuse, if there is a reinterpretation of a law that has been in place for 40 years, let's address that. Let's do that through the Department of the Interior. We have, I believe, from the gentleman's perspective, a very friendly administration. Let's make sure that they are implementing the law appropriately. By the way, I agree with the gentleman, it was never intended to punish farmers. The gentleman's northern California experience is different from ours here. My mom and dad both grew up on farms in northern Virginia, which are completely residential developments right now. We want to make sure that we don't, with this rider, make it possible for a farmer to change from farming to suburbia without ever obtaining a permit, and that is essentially what we have done. By the wholesale nature of this repeal, of the nonstop to the exemptions, we essentially really shortcut the Clean Water Act. I urge us to look for a middle ground solution that answers the needs of farmers without opening wide this exemption for any farming, ranching, or grazing activity, forestry activity that might result in this full repeal. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. LaMALFA. Mr.…”