Alan Simpson: “Let me just explain that this is something that I have been trying to find a solution to for a number of years. When I…”

“Let me just explain that this is something that I have been trying to find a solution to for a number of years. When I was chairman of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee--this has been like 4 years ago--the Endangered Species Act had not been reauthorized for 23 years at the time. It is like 27 years now that it has not been reauthorized. We brought down the Interior appropriation bill, and we put no money in it for endangered species listing or for critical habitat designation, and the intent was to force the Committee on Natural Resources to do a reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act. {time} 1945 The individual who was supporting me the most was the then-chairman of the Natural Resources Committee. Well, of course, we lost an amendment because nobody wants to eliminate all the funding for the Endangered Species Act. But the gentleman that supported me the most was the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee at the time, who had the ability and authority to go do a reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act, but didn't do it. And it still hasn't been done. It is frustrating. I want to work with anybody in this body that is willing to try to find a way to put pressure on the committees to do their job. I yield back the balance of my time.”