David Obey: “Mr. Speaker, as the Members of this House know, it is my view that many of the appropriation bills which passed this…”

“Mr. Speaker, as the Members of this House know, it is my view that many of the appropriation bills which passed this House were pretty pitiful. This is not one of them. This is one of those times when the House has been able to come together and to produce a bill which will really mark a significant turning point in Congress' dealing with our trust over public lands and our wildlife resources. It could not have happened if we had not had some very tough fights. We are supposed to come here and fight for what we believe in, and fight for what will enhance the country's future. Sometimes that means having some very tense moments. But out of that has come a product which has been unanimously supported by the committee. That is what we are supposed to do, we are supposed to fight like the devil for what we believe in, and then resolve our differences in a constructive way, which moves the country forward. That is exactly what has happened on this bill.”