David Obey: “I think this bill is a perfectly reasonable bill and I intend to support it. I am especially pleased with the fact that…”

“I think this bill is a perfectly reasonable bill and I intend to support it. I am especially pleased with the fact that the new conservation initiative known in some corners as the Lands Legacy Variation, I am very pleased with the funding level provided in this bill for that item. As the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Skeen) knows, last year we had a huge argument about whether or not land purchasing programs ought to be consolidated into a giant entitlement program. It was the feeling of the committee that we could make land acquisition a high priority without turning it into an entitlement. The subcommittee was then chaired by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) and myself and several others worked out the agreement at that time to maintain that as an expanded discretionary program. We indicated at the time that we intended to keep stepping that program up, to keep pace with the needs.”