Omnibus Public Land Management Act Of 2009
Floor Speech
Omnibus Public Land Management Act Of 2009
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue to me.
I rise to oppose Senate 22, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act in the suspension, but my decision to oppose this was not an easy one, because two of the individual bills in this omnibus measure were introduced in honor of a dear friend of mine, one of the truest Western statesmen to have ever served in the United States Congress. I speak, of course, of the late Senator Craig Thomas, who was also a Member of this body, a tireless advocate and protector of those values that continue to shape Wyoming and its people.
Wyoming is a State blessed with unparalleled natural resources, from spectacular mountain ranges and wide open plains to the vast mineral deposits that lie beneath them. In Wyoming, we find balance regarding how those very resources are managed. The bill we are considering today fails in achieving that have balance.
While our economy reels and the Federal deficit reaches record highs, this bill places an additional $10 billion burden on the taxpayers in Wyoming and across the Nation. These are not dollars being spent to ease economic woes or create jobs, these are dollars being spent in large part to restrict access to our public lands, to limit responsible energy production in the West and to codify the vague and ill-conceived National Landscape Conservation System.
Supporters of this 1,200-page massive omnibus package will tell you that most of the bills it is comprised of are largely noncontroversial. In some cases they are correct, but in many cases they are not.
Nearly 100 of the bills wrapped into this measure were never considered by the full House, let alone by those of us who were freshmen. Absolutely no amendments are allowed to be offered today.
As such, I am afforded no opportunity to work with the people of my State to address the specific local concerns regarding the Wyoming portion of this package.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gen tle lady an additional 15 seconds.
Mrs. LUMMIS. In today's vote we are asked to choose all or nothing. I know, Mr. Speaker, the House can do better. Our public lands deserve better.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source