Speeches

Over the past thirty years, we have seen an 80 percent reduction in timber harvested from our national forests, and in the same period a concomitant increase in acreage destroyed by fire. This phenomenon far predates the Western drought and was best summed up by a forester long ago who observed, “All that excess timber comes out of the forests one way or the other. It is either CARRIED OUT or it is BURNED OUT. But it comes OUT.”

California is now in its fourth year of the worst drought on record. Hydrologists estimate it is the worst drought in 1,200 years.

The Federal Lands subcommittee meets today to review federal land acquisition policies and their impact on communities and the environment. Last month, this subcommittee received testimony from the government’s land management agencies regarding their 2016 budget requests. All expressed a burning desire to vastly increase their holdings, while admitting to large and growing backlogs of deferred maintenance.

Even though I disagree heartily with the budgets advanced by the Progressive Caucus, they do an invaluable service to the budget debate by bringing into sharp relief the two very different visions of governance advanced by the two parties. The Progressive budget is a sincere and bold document. Unfortunately it is also wrong. It would hike taxes by $7 trillion over the next ten years...

The Department of the Interior will generate $13.8 billion next year and consume only $13.1 billion, generating a net of $700 million for U.S. taxpayers. The Department should be a net revenue source. After all, the public lands under its jurisdiction – and under the Department of Agriculture with respect to National Forest land – represent vast resources upon which our economic prosperity depends.

Today we meet to review the administration of the National Park Service and to examine the President’s 2016 Budget request. I thank Director Jarvis for being here today. Our National Parks are a uniquely American institution. The Norman and Plantagenet kings of old set aside vast tracts of land as their exclusive province, in which only a select few with their blessing could enjoy. The National Parks are the very opposite of that. In America, we have set aside the most beautiful land in the nation entirely of, by and for the people.