Jay Inslee: “it is true that dogs collect fleas, and so do large fiscal year bills. This bill is no exception. I want to talk about…”

“it is true that dogs collect fleas, and so do large fiscal year bills. This bill is no exception. I want to talk about one of those fleas infesting this bill. One of the worst infestations in this bill is a provision slipped in in the dead of night, like many of these things happen, that will essentially give away America's most pristine areas in our national forests to the special interest friends of the majority party. There is a provision in this bill that will allow places that have been ``patented for mining,'' to be essentially given away to these special interest companies that can take our most pristine national forests, somewhere between 300,000 and 20 million acres, and give it away to special interests, give it away to special interests and increase the deficit at the same time. What will happen with that property? Anything the special interests of the majority party wants. It is not about mining. There is a provision in this bill that will allow your special interest friends to come into the Mount Baker National Forest in Washington, the national forest in Colorado, the national forests of California, take that property, pay the taxpayers nickels, literally nickels, and take that property away from the people that want to enjoy those national forests right now. It is bad enough that that bill will leave future generations $1 billion of debt.…”