T. Gorton: “As Senator Hatfield knows, Cowlitz County has been digging out, literally and figuratively, from the effects of Mt. St.…”

As I have said before, I greatly admire the Senator from Maine's tenacity and her unfailing devotion to the best interests of her State.

In response to my colleague, the senior Senator from Nevada, let me say that your understanding of the issues affecting Lake Tahoe is correct. Your concerns seem reasonable, as does your interpretation of the language in question.

I would agree that maintaining dual suppliers of high performance, environmentally acceptable fire retardants is critical to the mission of the Service.

My home state, too, has experienced the disruption that a federal endangered species listing can cause. I therefore appreciate the importance and urgency of the funds sought by the Senator from Maine.