May 18, 2006

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Interior Appropriations bill.

Given their commitment to “conservative values,” I would think that Republicans would be more committed to actual conservation. Instead, this bill shortchanges our environment, attacks our natural heritage, and recklessly endangers public health.

This bill slashes funding for environmental programs by $145 million and provides about $800 million less than is necessary to maintain current environmental protection services. Specifically, this legislation cuts Land and Water Conservation programs, which provide funding for the acquisition of land for national parks, wildlife refuges, forests and monuments, to their lowest funding levels in 30 years. At the same time, this bill cuts the Forest Legacy Program by more than $43 million, the Fish and Wildlife Service by $55 million and the National Park Service by $100 million.

We have an obligation to ensure that future generations can enjoy the beauty of our national parks and public lands. With this bill, however, the “Moral Majority" has abandoned their social and ethical responsibility to protect our environment and invest in America’s future.

This indefensible legislation not only harms our environment but places Americans’ health at risk by cutting the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to its lowest funding level in a decade. According to the EPA, close to $20 billion dollars -- nearly 30 times the appropriated amount -- is necessary to maintain our current water quality. I am not willing to endanger the health of millions of Americans by exposing them to dirtier water.

I don't believe something as important as our natural resources should be left in the hands of Republican members of the flat-earth society who don't even believe in global warming. There is scientific consensus that the earth is warming because of manmade greenhouse gasses and the threat posed by global warming is real and immediate. Recent polls show that 85% of Americans believe that global warming is probably happening and 76%, including 63% of conservatives, think the Federal government is not doing enough to address the problem. Yet Republicans are so reluctant to acknowledge global warming, they won't even allow the House to consider the issue.

If Republicans want to preach conservative values, perhaps they should start with actually conserving our most precious resources. I simply cannot vote for this mockery of environmental legislation and I encourage my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill.