[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 83 (Thursday, June 20, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H3725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL MONUMENT FAIRNESS ACT

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express my strong support 
for the passage of the National Monuments Fairness Act, which ensures 
the people's rights to public land are protected. For too many years 
the executive branch has abused the Antiquities Act by proclaiming 
thousands upon thousands of square miles of land as national monuments. 
Such actions do not reflect the original intention of the Antiquities 
Act, which was aimed to protect small areas of land and specific items 
of historical importance which were in imminent danger of destruction.
  The National Monument Fairness Act will restore balance to the 
national monument designation process by requiring congressional 
approval and public input.
  The people of America deserve input as to how their public lands are 
managed, and Nevadans can no longer afford to be left out of this 
process. Close to 90 percent of the State of Nevada is owned by the 
Federal Government. It is time to ensure the rights of the people to 
their land. I encourage my colleagues to support the National Monuments 
Fairness Act.

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