[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 17 (Wednesday, February 7, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1120-S1121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NOMINATIONS
GALE NORTON
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I supported the nomination of Gale Norton
to be Secretary of the Interior.
As Secretary of the Interior, Ms. Norton will be responsible for the
management of nearly half a billion acres of Federal land. She will
assume the responsibility of overseeing our Nation's public land
treasures--namely our national parks and wildlife refuges. She will
also be responsible for enforcing the laws that protect threatened and
endangered species. The Secretary is in charge of many agencies that
directly affect North Dakota, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Fish and
Wildlife Service, and the Geological Survey.
I met with Ms. Norton in my office earlier this month to discuss some
of the critical issues facing my State and found her receptive to
working together to address these challenges. Water development is
critical in my State and has been among my highest priorities as
Senator from North Dakota. Last year Congress passed the Dakota Water
Resources Act, which will redirect the Garrison Diversion Project to
meet North Dakota's contemporary water needs. The Bureau of
Reclamation, working under the direction of the Secretary, will be
responsible for implementing that act, and Ms. Norton indicated her
desire to help ensure the DWRA is implemented responsibly.
Ms. Norton will also face significant responsibilities and challenges
in maintaining government-to-government relations with tribal nations.
The Department of the Interior, which includes the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, is the entity most directly responsible for federal policy in
Indian country. I know she has worked with Colorado tribes in the past
and therefore has an understanding of many of the diverse and complex
issues that tribes face. The tribes in my State anticipate building a
productive relationship with Ms. Norton and the new head of the Bureau
of Indian affairs. I hope she will take time early in her tenure to
meet with the United Tribes of North Dakota and listen to their
concerns and goals for the future.
I was also pleased that during her confirmation hearings she was
given the opportunity to explain her beliefs on public land management
and to respond to some of the criticisms that had been leveled against
her. I hope Ms. Norton will continue to follow the moderate stands she
identified during her confirmation hearing. Public land management
issues are often very controversial locally as well as nationally, and
Ms. Norton will have to work very carefully to balance local interests
with the Nation's interests when resolving these conflicts.
Ms. Norton will face tremendous challenges as Secretary of the
Interior, and I look forward to working with her on those issues.
[[Page S1121]]
ELAINE CHAO
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I supported Elaine Chao's nomination to be
Secretary of Labor. I am confident that her experience and intellect
will serve her well as she considers issues relating to our Nation's
workforce and workplaces.
Elaine's career exemplifies her dedication to public service and
commitment to leadership. Elaine served as deputy transportation
secretary under former President Bush and later became director of the
Peace Corps in 1991. She headed United Way of America between 1992 and
1996, and she currently serves as a Heritage Foundation fellow.
Additionally, many of us in this body also know her as the
distinguished wife of our colleague, Senator Mitch McConnell.
As a member of the new Administration, I hope that Elaine will be
able to build coalitions and work effectively with groups holding a
wide range of political views. These skills will be essential as we
consider many of the important labor-related issues during the
beginning of the 21st Century.
GOVERNOR WHITMAN
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I supported the nomination of New Jersey
Governor Christie Whitman to serve as Administrator of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
As one of the organizers of the first Earth Day more than 30 years
ago, I understand the importance of protecting and improving our
Nation's environment. The Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking
Water Act, and other major environmental statutes have helped this
Nation significantly improve our air and water quality. We have made
significant progress over the past three decades, and North Dakota has
done well to maintain its clean environment. However, our Nation still
has too many areas that have dirty air and unclean water. Too many of
our citizens develop diseases as a result of pollution in our
environment. We need to continue the progress of the past three decades
without sacrificing the tremendous economic growth of the past eight
years.
I met with Governor Whitman in my office last week to discuss some of
the differences between rural western States and more urban,
industrialized eastern States. I emphasized the need to develop
different solutions to environmental problems in different areas, and
also indicated my support for incentive-based approaches to improving
our environment. I have been pleased to hear some of Governor Whitman's
preliminary statements on that subject. However, I also believe we
cannot abandon enforcement efforts to improve compliance with our
Nation's environmental laws. Governor Whitman will have to strike an
appropriate balance between the two. It will be a difficult task, but
after meeting with her and reviewing her record, I believe she is up to
the job.
President Bush made a good selection when he asked Governor Whitman
to head the EPA. She assumes a tremendous new responsibility, and I
look forward to working with her in her new role as Administrator.
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