Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. AMODEI. Mr. Chairman, it is nice to see that the assault on the authority of this branch continues. It is sad that it continues from within, and it is interesting to hear westerners talk about issues that are particularly acute in Western lands.
I happen to hail from a State that is 87 percent owned by the Federal Government. The key word there is ``owned.''
If you want to protect natural resources that are Federal--which, by the way, this law takes into account--the Federal Government already owns them. You do not have enough authority by virtue of ownership interest over the last 110 years, almost, to protect things? Things have not changed.
I have heard criticism about the mining reform law of 1874 from my colleagues. Here is something from 1906, and it is like, if you can't protect it by being the owner, as the Federal Government--under the land management auspices of multiple Federal land use agencies, I am wondering why--and I heard somebody say these areas enjoy tremendous support of the people--what is the problem with allowing the people to participate in the process of monument designation?
Why is it awful for these people who want these areas, want to enjoy them, to say, hey, you know, we are thinking of making a monument of this, and even though you control it by virtue of ownership and countless regs? We want to use the regulation that applies to that, to let the people who enjoy them so much participate in the process. We want to cede all authority to the executive branch because we happen to disagree on some things?
Let me tell you, as a member of the Republican side of the aisle who has been advocating for the creation of 96,000 acres of wilderness in a bipartisan context with my colleague from Nevada--which I can't get through yet. I am frustrated too.
I fail to see the harm in allowing the people that so much appreciate these Federal lands to participate in their further designation, adding another layer of administration, as monuments.
Let's, please, defend our authority as this branch, and let's support this bill.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source