Joe Manchin

We were outside, OK. And we were all -- everybody has been vaccinated.

We are seeing the effects of inaction now.

It is indeed a big task to take on, and I'm ready for it.

I want to thank my colleagues. This has been the most enjoyable venture for the last 6 to 8 weeks. So many people have given up on the Senate. They have given up on Congress. They have given up on our ability to be able to do the big…

I`ve told them. I said the bottom line is we should basically dedicate ourselves to a voting piece of legislation that truly is the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act that we`ve been working on. And narrow it down…

We have 68. Mike Rounds could not be there, so if you count Mike Rounds in there, I think once people see the content of the legislation, it could be a lot more.

We are also very fortunate to have Judge Arthur Gonzalez with us.

The Committee will come to order. The Committee is meeting today to consider S. 375, Senator Menendez's bill...

In many ways, the Oversight Board has made life on the island harder and less fair for so many Puerto Ricans.

I opposed PROMESA because I believed it would not do enough to protect the people of Puerto Rico during the debt restructuring process.

I am pleased to welcome our dear friend, Senator Menendez, who has joined us this morning to provide a few remarks.

The Department is responsible for managing and protecting our national parks, wildlife refuges, the public lands.

I hope that we can use this hearing to get a better understanding of how the Department is prioritizing funding.

The President has requested $17.6 billion in appropriations for the Interior Department in Fiscal Year 2022.

I am disappointed that we have yet to receive a nomination for a Director of the National Park Service.

I look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure all outstanding mine land Reclamation needs are adequately addressed.

It is imperative that we give back to coal communities for the sacrifices they made for our nation.

We convene this morning to review the President's proposed budget for the Department of the Interior.

I appreciate that the Administration has provided Congress with lists of its proposed maintenance and LWCF and deferred maintenance projects.

I also understand that a federal judge has issued an injunction against the Administration's pause, although I expect that decision will be appealed.

I think we`ve moved and pretty much gotten an agreement on the infrastructure bill.

Pretty Much got bipartisan deal on infrastructure, should be ready on Monday.

We`ve all come to a total agreement that what we want is basically to protect voting rights. That`s it, voting rights bill, that`s all.

I want it to proceed.

I want to see what`s in there. I`m not going to rule out yet a bill that size.