Alan Simpson: “today we debate a bill of tremendous importance to my State and to many Americans who draw their livelihood from the…”

“today we debate a bill of tremendous importance to my State and to many Americans who draw their livelihood from the land. I am speaking specifically about ranchers, that often maligned group of individuals who have played such an enduring role of the development and prosperity of our Western States over the years-- and individuals they are. It is difficult to conceive of a greater distortion than the continuing ugly portrayal of those in my State being described as big-time cattle barons, Cadillac cowboys, few in number and great in wealth and rapacity and greed. The reality is far, far different. There are more than 25,000 ranchers whose livestock grazes on these western lands all over our Western States. In Western and Midwestern States, more than 50 percent of all beef cattle graze these lands at one time or another during the year. If cattle were driven from these lands--and this administration seems to advocate that; that has been the pressure from them--large numbers of ranchers would surely go out of business. That is the stark reality. It is also a very cynical and deceptive canard that alleges that if this bill were to pass, public access to these Federal lands would be simply cut off. Instead, this bill reaffirms that use of these public lands for nongrazing purposes, shall continue in accordance with State and Federal law, already in effect. I am very pleased to support this bill.”