[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 94 (Monday, June 24, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6724-S6725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. STEVENS (for himself, Mr. Leahy and Mr. Murkowski):
  S. 1899. A bill entitled the ``Mollie Beattie Alaska Wilderness Area 
Act''; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


             The Mollie Beattie Alaska Wilderness Area Act

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am here today with a heavy heart to 
introduce a bill that I would like to have called the Mollie Beattie 
Alaska Wilderness Area Act. My colleague from Alaska, Mr. Murkowski 
joins me in my remarks and as an original sponsor of this legislation.
  I want to make a few remarks about Mollie, who has served well as the 
Director of Fish and Wildlife Service for this administration. I 
believe my colleague in the House, Don Young, will introduce similar 
legislation. As the Senate knows, Mollie Beattie is gravely ill--so ill 
that she decided to step down from her position as Director of the Fish 
and Wildlife Service. We are now informed that Mollie's situation is 
worsening.
  It may seem strange for me to be here talking about Mollie Beattie. 
She opposed many of the things that I believe in, as far as Alaska 
public lands are concerned. But I am introducing this bill to designate 
the 8 million acres of wilderness within the 19 million acre Arctic 
National Wildlife Refuge as the ``Mollie Beattie Alaska Wilderness 
Area.''
  Under my legislation, the Secretary of the Interior would be directed 
to place a monument on a portion of the wilderness, so that people 
entering the wilderness might remember and honor Mollie Beattie's 
contribution to the conservation of fish and wildlife.
  Now, Mollie Beattie opposed us on some things, and she worked with us 
on some things. But the reason I like her is she was always honest with 
us. We knew where she stood. And she listened. As a matter of fact, as 
days went on, we thought maybe she was listening to us more and we 
might be able to find some middle ground between the position she had 
taken and our own.
  And so I was saddened, and I came to the floor and said so, when 
Mollie stepped down from her position as the Director of the Fish and 
Wildlife Service. In Mollie's departure from the Service, the American 
people are losing a leader of depth of knowledge and life experience.
  Mollie, by the way, was the first woman to serve as the Director of 
the Fish and Wildlife Service. During the Eisenhower administration, I 
served in the Interior Department for almost 5 years, and I know of the 
mission of that service and its continuing benefit to the American 
public.
  Mollie was and is a champion of resource conservation. I do not think 
we really had any disagreement as to the end result that we sought, but 
perhaps some of the means to get there.
  She came to the Fish and Wildlife Service from the Richard A. 
Snelling Center for Government in Vermont, where she was the executive 
director. Prior to that, she served in several Vermont State land 
management agencies. I am happy that the senior Senator from Vermont, 
Mr. Leahy, and the junior Senator, Mr. Jeffords, have asked to 
cosponsor the bill that I will send to the desk in a few moments.
  In her last major speech as Director of the Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Mollie recalled releasing Hope, a rehabilitated bald eagle, as 
a highlight of her career. Her career has had many high moments. She 
has focussed on reconnecting the American people to the wildlife around 
them. Those of us who have worked with Mollie really are saddened to 
learn about her condition. We send her and her husband, Rick, our 
sincerest sentiments and really want him to know that, from a 
professional point of view, his wife has enjoyed the greatest of 
friendships in the Congress regardless of party.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1899

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,
       Sec. 1. Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Mollie 
     Beattie Alaska Wilderness Area Act.''
       Sec. 2. Mollie Beattie Alaska Wilderness Area.--Amend P.L. 
     96-487 by striking Section 702(3) and inserting in lieu 
     thereof the following:
       ``(3) Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness of 
     approximately eight million acres as generally depicted on a 
     map entitled ``Arctic National Wildlife Refuge'' dated August 
     1980. That portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 
     Wilderness located in the Brooks Range on a map to be 
     prepared by the Secretary of the Interior shall be named and 
     appropriately identified as the ``Mollie Beattie Alaska 
     Wilderness Area'';''
       Sec. 3. Placement of Monument.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior shall place a monument in honor of Mollie Beattie's 
     contributions to fish, wildlife, and waterfowl conservation 
     and management at the entrance to the Mollie Beattie Alaska 
     Wilderness Area or another suitable location he designates. 
     Such sums as may be necessary are authorized for the 
     placement of such monument.


[[Page S6725]]


  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, today we dedicate a beautiful area of 
Alaska as the Mollie Beattie Fish and Wildlife Refuge. More than any 
person this century, Mollie has led the fight to protect our Nation's 
natural heritage. Her dedication to preserving wildlife and wildlife 
habitat and her spirit and enthusiasm in accomplishing this important 
goal will be appreciated by generations to come.
  Mollie and I share much in common. We both love the wild, appreciate 
its complexity and beauty and value that it contributes to our lives. 
We also recognize the importance of protecting fragile ecosystems, from 
wetlands to forests. Finally, we both love Vermont and have worked 
together to preserve its distinctive character.
  I have followed Mollie's career throughout her time in Vermont and 
here in Washington. A resident of Vermont since 1968, Mollie used her 
calm and determined manner and her knowledge of animals, plants, and 
natural resources to institute policies which today are a model of 
environmental protection. As a reporter, a University of Vermont 
professor and the developer of an experimental game bird habitat, 
Mollie strove to integrate her values into each position and left 
behind a legacy of success.
  As Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and 
Recreation in the late 1980's, Mollie oversaw all of Vermont's public 
lands, including wildlife habitat areas and 48 State parks. In 1989, 
she became Deputy Secretary for Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources, 
caring for forests, public lands, water quality, air quality, and 
wildlife. After a stop over as Executive Director of the Richard A. 
Snelling Center for Government in Burlington, Mollie was nominated by 
President Clinton to serve as Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service. I have never known, in my 22 years representing Vermont, a 
person with greater dedication to preserving our Nation's wildlife.
  I remember soon after her appointment, Mollie came to visit me here 
in the Senate. We spent time discussing the future of the refuge system 
and prospects for Endangered Species Act reform. We also reviewed our 
Nation's ability to curb the unnecessary slaughter of tigers, rhinos, 
elephants, and species rapidly disappearing from other countries. Her 
commitment to ending the rapid loss of species was remarkable. Since 
her arrival here in Washington, she recognized the importance of our 
Nation's wildlife refuge system and has been successful in protecting 
these vital resources. She did so effectively and I assure you that our 
children and their children will forever cherish this determined 
woman's work.
  During her tenure at the Fish and Wildlife Service, Mollie visited 
Alaska several times and shared with me some of her special memories of 
the State. These visits made a remarkable impression on Mollie, 
especially her trip to the Arctic Refuge two summers ago. I can think 
of no better tribute than to name the 8 million acres of wilderness in 
the Arctic Refuge after Mollie. This area captures the ideals and 
beauty that Mollie strove to protect while at the Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
  Mr. President, I want to thank Mollie Beattie on behalf of all my 
colleagues in the U.S. Senate and all Americans for all that she has 
done to make America a more beautiful Nation.
                                 ______