[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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