Political Quotes

“I rise today to speak about the nomination of Congressman Ryan Zinke to be Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior is one of the most important jobs in the Federal Government and even more so for people in the West. I know the Presiding Officer would agree with that. The Department of the Interior has an incredibly broad portfolio. It is responsible for managing our Nation's public lands, our national parks, our national wildlife refuges, and overseeing mineral and energy development on our public lands and in our Federal waters offshore, making sure that the taxpayers of the United States get a fair deal for the resources that the public--the public--actually owns. The responsibilities of the Department of the Interior also include ensuring that tribal trust responsibilities are met, as well as attending to our insular affairs. The Secretary of the Interior also manages a large part of water resources in Western States--again, which I know the Presiding Officer knows so well because there are so many issues related to drinking water and hydroelectric facilities that affect millions of our citizens. So it is a far-reaching and diverse portfolio, and it requires the Secretary to take into account not only the demands of the extraction industry-- the oil, gas, coal, and hard rock mining companies--the Secretary, above all, must protect the public's interests.…”