Political Quotes

“I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1158, the North Cascades National Park Service Complex Fish Stocking Act, has enjoyed broad bipartisan support, passing the last Congress by a voice vote. It was also reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee during a previous Congress on a voice vote, with a recommendation that it pass. H.R. 1158 is necessary to ensure that the National Park Service, in coordination with the State of Washington, has the authority to continue stocking fish in certain alpine lakes in the North Cascades National Park Complex, including the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreational Area, and the Lake Chelan National Recreational Area. In 2008, the National Park Service prepared an environmental impact statement regarding the management of the fisheries in these mountain lakes. That document identified the preferred alternatives as the one to allow continued fish stocking in 42 lakes in that area where the Agency concluded there would be no adverse impact on the native ecosystems. The Park Service also requested explicit authority to allow fish stocking to continue within the park complex. That, of course, is exactly what H.R. 1158 does. Many tourists visit the park complex for its scenic beauty as well as for its fishing opportunities, making fish stocking an important component of the central Washington economy. Now, Mr. Speaker, let me deviate a bit here.…”