[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 134 (Thursday, August 10, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S12310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   TO DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S RANGELAND REFORM 
                                PROPOSAL

 Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, the bipartisan amendment I am 
offering today addresses an issue that is critical to ranching families 
in my State of Wyoming and throughout the West. The initiative would 
put in place a 90-day moratorium on implementation of Secretary of 
Interior Bruce Babbitt's rangeland reform proposal, which is scheduled 
to take effect August 21, 1995. Soon after the Secretary released his 
plan on February 22, 1995, Senators Pete Domenici and Larry Craig 
introduced S. 852, the Public Rangelands Management Act of 1995--of 
which I am an original cosponsor--to amend Bruce Babbitt's initiative. 
However, faced with a full legislative agenda and time constraints, the 
Congress was not able to take up and debate this issue before its 
scheduled summer recess.
  As a result, a group of western Senators, myself included, met with 
Secretary Babbitt just this morning to ask him to refrain from putting 
his final rule in place administratively. Unfortunately, the Secretary 
was unwilling to work with us and grant additional time, which left no 
other alternative than to offer this amendment.
  Mr. President, I believe this entire discussion comes down to a 
matter of fairness. If Bruce Babbitt's proposal would not have 
completely dismantled the way livestock grazing is conducted on public 
lands there would not be a need for action. As many will remember, 2 
years ago the Secretary of Interior proposed a plan soundly rejected by 
people throughout the West because it would have forced many small-to 
medium-sized ranchers out of business. Congress sent a clear message to 
Mr. Babbitt by defeating his plans. Now, however, the Secretary intends 
to carry out his ideas administratively and believes Members of 
Congress should no longer have a voice in this issue.
  I strongly disagree. What we are talking about here are the 
livelihoods of thousands of ranchers in my State and across the West. 
Folks everywhere tell me that if they are forced to live under the 
rules outlined in Bruce Babbitt's initiative, they could lose their 
business. I am not going to let that happen. We have made great 
progress on the Public Rangelands Management Act. It passed the Senate 
Energy and Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support, and I 
am certain that with an additional 90 days the Senate will also pass 
this measure with the support of Republicans and Democrats alike. I 
would like to thank my colleagues who cosponsored this important 
amendment and I urge its adoption.


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