Senate Proceeding on Mar 19th, 2009 :: 2:25:05 to 2:32:05
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2:25:03 to 2:25:27( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: also the forest landscape restoration act. i would ask consent that a fuller statement explaining the provisions of these bills be included in the record as part of my overall statement. i yield -- the presiding officer: without objection. mr. bingaman: i yield the balance of my time to the

2:25:05 to 2:32:05( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Lisa Murkowski

2:25:28 to 2:25:48( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: senator from alaska. ms. murkski: thank you, madam president as we conclude this public lands package, i think it's important to -- remind colleagues of perhaps a few history as to how we got here.

2:25:49 to 2:26:09( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: as the committee has indicated, this omnibus public lands package i 160 -- 160 bills. and what they flept terms of the legislation, the -- and what they represent in terms of the legislation, the efforts, of commu

2:26:10 to 2:26:30( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: of groups, ofegislators to co to a point where they may finly be seeing a final resolution on the issues that they have been working on, i think it's important to put this into context. publ lands relates to my state is an issue we've been

2:26:31 to 2:26:53( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: exchange for almost two now in an effort to try to find resolve. and through a great deal of compromise with the agencies, with -- with pubc interest groups, with policy-makers, we have -- we have a legislation that we believe works. my colleague from -- from utah, senator bennett, has been

2:26:54 to 2:27:14( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: working on a provision that he, too, acknowledges has been over ten years in the my colleague, senator idaho, been working on legislation that has been eight years in the process. been working with members to try

2:27:15 to 2:27:37( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: to advance good projects, good respective states. our public little bit different than what we see here on the east coast. when you've of your land in your state that is owned by the federal government, oftentimes just getting a transaction approved requires an act of congress.

2:27:38 to 2:28:00( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: and so what we have today in this -- in this package, big as it is, is a culmination of countless years of work by lawmakers in this body and -- and it is time that we advance many of these very, very important measures. this bill is a very bipartisan measure. it is -- it's, as i say, 160

2:28:01 to 2:28:22( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: bills but it's republican sponsors, democratic sponsors alike. it's the work of a lot of -- a lot of compromise on both sides. all but a handful of these bills within the energy committee's jurisdiction were ordered reported by the committee on a unanimous voice vote. we need to recognize, this is -- this is not the work of the

2:28:23 to 2:28:43( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: 111th congress here. it's not even the work of the 110th. it was before that this is -- this is carryoverwork in an attempt to take care of a lot of unfinished business. i am optimistic that this bill will pass both this body and the other and be finally signed into law.

2:28:44 to 2:29:06( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: i'm also optimistic that 111th congress can then make a fresh start with public lands legislation and perhaps find a better way to reach consensus on these types of bills. so i hope that the process for consideration of this package today is a future. the package that we have

2:29:07 to 2:29:29( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: contains language that the house had sought to add that would clarify that access for recreation, including hunting, fishing, and trapping, would not be limited by land designations in this bill. this language was bipartisan and bicameral and the support truly is there. the -- the amendments that senator coburn brought before

2:29:30 to 2:29:52( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: this body, six serious, relevant amendments, and while i have not agreed with the specifics of some of those amendments we have considered, i do take the issues and the concerns raised by them very seriously. i always have and will continue to commit to continue to do so as the committee on energy and natural resources, as we look to legislation in the future,

2:29:53 to 2:30:14( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: whether it's the issue of prioritizationr acknowledging that own, what we -- what we are required to operate and maintain is something that is worthwhile to pursue. some of the issues that were raised, for instance, that of

2:30:15 to 2:30:36( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: eminent domain, locking up our nation's energy resources, these legitimate. but i would suggest that a broad brush or one size fits all prohibition just doesn't work in the real world. the bills in this package were carefully evaluated for these and so very many concerns as

2:30:37 to 2:30:59( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: they went through the committee. the energy committee is very concerned. i mean, our focus is on access to our nation's resources. so there made individually bill by bill. and the last comment i want to make is -- is it's been suggested that somehow or other

2:31:00 to 2:31:22( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: that this lands package is a federal land grab, but, in fact, the bill actually transfers over 23,0023,000 acres of land through con veins, exchange or sale. in most instances the federal government is giving more land into private hands than they're

2:31:23 to 2:31:44( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: giving or it is of equal acres or equal value. suggest that the process that we have gone through here has been the easiest. it's difficult when you have the number of bills that we have and issues that -- that are contentious and that require a great deal of effort and compromise. but the product that we have

2:31:45 to 2:32:05( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: before this body today is one where i would agree with our chairman of the energy committee, it does help to prect our it does allow for -- for a -- a better -- bet our public lands, and i think