[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 25828]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  OBJECTION TO PROCEEDING TO H.R. 4020

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I rise today to state my objection to any 
unanimous consent request for the Senate to proceed to or adopt H.R. 
4020, authorizing the expansion of the boundaries of Sequoia National 
Park to include Dillonwood Giant Sequoia Grove, unless or until S. 
2691, to provide further protections for the watershed of the Little 
Sandy River as part of the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit, Oregon, 
is discharged, unamended, from the House of Representatives Resources 
Committee and passed, unamended, by the House of Representatives. I do 
so consistent with the commitment I have made to explain publicly any 
so-called ``holds'' that I may place on legislation.
  S. 2691 is a bipartisan bill, authored by myself and Senator Smith of 
Oregon, and supported by all the members of Oregon's congressional 
delegation. It passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources 
Committee, as well as the entire Senate, unanimously. This legislation 
protects the current and future drinking water source for the city of 
Portland, home to one in four Oregonians.
  Despite its broad support, and my personal appeal to the Resources 
Committee, that committee has failed to act on it. Oregonians expect 
their elected representatives will act responsibly to protect 
Portland's drinking water source. As a result, I cannot agree to H.R. 
4020 until S. 2691 clears the House of Representatives unamended.

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