CQ TODAY MIDDAY UPDATE
Oct. 2, 2008 – 1:36 p.m.
Senate Plans Lame-Duck Session for Land Bills Blocked by Coburn
Get ready for another “Tomnibus.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has warned his colleagues to prepare for a lame-duck session the week of Nov. 17, when they’ll be in Washington anyway for the biennial meetings to elect party leaders.
The lame ducks will vote on a massive package of public land bills that couldn’t get through the Senate individually because of a single persistent foe: Sen. Tom Coburn .
Coburn, R-Okla., has a variety of objections. In some cases, he has concerns about preventing oil and gas development or the loss of revenue for the Treasury.
Democratic Sens. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Ken Salazar of Colorado have combined 150 measures into a single package, and have offered it as an amendment to a wilderness bill.
Bingaman believes more than 60 senators will vote to approve the bill over Coburn’s objections, a committee spokesman said. But pre-election time ran short to go through the process of filing cloture, voting to limit debate and then voting on the bill itself. “The clock ran out,” spokesman Bill Wicker said.
The bill would designate wilderness areas, national heritage areas, wild and scenic rivers and historic sites.
The lame duck is being scheduled for a time when senators will be in Washington for their routine organizational meetings.
If there is no change in the balance of power, the Senate meetings should be routine.
By spending several days dealing with the lands bill, the lame-duck session offers an opportunity for other senators to try and move legislation, too.
For example, Sen. Jack Reed , D-R.I., said Thursday he would propose to extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks through legislation Republicans have blocked.
But House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer , D-Md., and Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., have said they oppose a post-election House session.
Comments
We, the recreating public of California, are against any and all wilderness bills slated to close any public lands to public access. Why, you might ask? First and foremost, we DO NOT need to lock up federal land with natural resources that this country will need in the future. Natural resources which include not only oil and gas, but land for both solar and wind energy development. We need more alternative natural ways to produce electricity, and the public lands are where these energy developments will need to be located. Secondly, a large portion of the public lands are NOT suitable for wilderness. According to the 1964 Wilderness Act, wilderness lands must "be untrammeled by man", i.e., no evidence of man shall be seen. There are roads and trails, old mines and mining camps, etc., within the proposed boundaries, and they will be closing these roads and trails to public access. In the remote counties such as Inyo and Mono Counties, the lives of outdoorsman of all sorts will be unduly affected. If you use any type of mechanized vehicle to recreate, you will be shut out. So if you own a sedan, a four-wheel drive vehicle, a motorcycle, a mountain bike, or a deer carrier, you will not be allowed on these lands. If you are handicapped, you will no longer be allowed into these wilderness areas, which have roads and trails, in a vehicle. If you cannot hike to your favorite rock hounding area, fishing hole, or hunting spot, you will be shut out. If you are a photographer, a sightseer, a wildlife viewing enthusiast, or rock climber, who uses a vehicle for these activities, you will not be allowed into these areas. California has millions of acres already set aside in wilderness, National Parks and Monuments, as well as State Parks. We do not need any more. Please do you best to fight for what is right for the recreating public. Fight for what is right for all of us who use our natural resources to sustain our lives. PLEASE SAY NO .... NO MORE WILDERNESS. Thank you, Mary Lou Grimsley 1012 N. Sierra View Ridgecrest, CA 93555 760-446-3458
Another way to manage public land with locked gates. Keep public lands open to the public.
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