[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H9837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRESSMAN BUNN OF OREGON DESERVES APOLOGY FROM SECRETARY OF THE 
                            INTERIOR BABBITT

  (Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, the Associated Press on July 30 of this year 
quoted Secretary of the Interior Babbitt as follows:

       There are a lot of people, like Congressman Bunn, who want 
     to shut down the national park system, dissolve the national 
     forest lands, and convey away all the public land.

  I just want to say for the record that the gentleman from Oregon, 
Congressman Bunn, serves with me on the subcommittee on appropriations 
responsible for funding national parks, for funding national forests, 
and for funding Federal public lands.
  The facts are as follows: Congressman Bunn has supported, as a member 
of this subcommittee, increased funding for all of these functions: 
parks, forests, and public lands. At no time has he suggested that we 
close parks or that we dissolve national forest lands into private 
ownership, or that we convey away the public lands owned by the people 
of this Nation.
  Statements such as the one made by Secretary Babbitt do a great 
disservice to truth and facts. Congressman Bunn deserves an apology.

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