Russ Feingold: “I am mindful of Wisconsin's historic dedication to conservation and am keenly aware of the legacy of Gaylord Nelson…”

“I am mindful of Wisconsin's historic dedication to conservation and am keenly aware of the legacy of Gaylord Nelson, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and Sigurd Olson. My constituents regularly remind me of Wisconsin's environmental heritage and they expect their leaders to help build a positive environmental future. As the Secretary of the Interior, Governor Kempthorne will have the opportunity to chart a responsible course for managing our Nation's public lands--a course very different from the one that the American people have endured over the past 5 years. I am encouraged by Governor Kempthorne's reputation for collaboration and consensus. While Governor Kempthorne's environmental record does give me cause for concern, it has been my practice to defer to presidents in considering nominees for Cabinet positions. Consistent with that practice, I will vote to confirm this nominee. In his testimony before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Governor Kempthorne stated his belief that ``there is a no more beautiful cathedral than the outdoors.'' I will take Governor Kempthorne at his word and hope that he will lead the Department of the Interior in a manner consistent with those words.”