Nick Rahall: “Mr. Chairman, I wanted to respond to the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from North Carolina…”

“Mr. Chairman, I wanted to respond to the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Taylor), in his charge that the amendment is too broadly drafted. He then referred to Executive Order 13007. That is the referenced executive order, of course, in my amendment. In that executive order it clearly very narrowly defines what sacred site means. In Section 1, Subparagraph (b), number iii, ``Sacred site'' means any specific, discrete, narrowly delineated location on Federal land that is identified by an Indian tribe or Indian individual determined to be an appropriate authoritative representative of an Indian religion, as sacred by virtue of its established religious significance to, or ceremonial use by, an Indian religion; provided that the tribe or appropriate authoritative representative of an Indian religion has informed the agency of the existence of such a site. So I think that is a pretty narrow definition of ``sacred site,'' as opposed to the broad charge leveled by the distinguished subcommittee chairman.”