Political Quotes

“Last Friday, Oregon governor John Kitzhaber announced his support for a radical Clinton-Gore administration proposal to begin dismantling the Columbia-Snake hydroelectric system by removing four hydroelectric dams in southeastern Washington. That same day, in Seattle, campaigning for president, Bill Bradley also announced his support for this proposal. Is support for destroying the Columbia hydro system now a litmus test for the Democratic Party and its candidates for public office? I hope not, because the importance of salmon recovery and the value of our Northwest hydro system is too important to every family and community in our region. The Clinton-Gore administration--most prominently through Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt--has aggressively advocated dismantling dams. Specifically, the administration has devoted significant agency resources to study removal of the four Snake River dams in Washington. Even the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has publicly endorsed dam-breaching. Several other agencies list it as a serious 'option' to recovery Pacific Northwest salmon. I will state here again--as I have many times already--no proposal to remove Snake or Columbia River dams will pass in Congress while I am Senator.”