May 12, 2000

CARA PASSES-Money Talks

In a very divisive and almost surreal setting, the House of Representatives passed the most sweeping and damaging piece of environmental legislation in history. On Thursday H.R. 701, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) passed with an overwhelming margin of 315-102. Not surprisingly, it was supported by 118 of the 211 voting Republicans after two days of debate, proving that if you offer enough money practically anybody can be bought off.

Only a handful of courageous legislators stood their ground: Helen Chenoweth-Hage (R-ID), William "Mac" Thornberry (R-TX), Ralph Regula (R-OH), Richard Pombo (R-CA), Donald Manzullo (R-IL), John Shadegg (R-AZ), House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (TX) and a majority of Western-state conservative legislators.

Speaker Dennis Hastert, who was never seen present on the dais during the debate, joined the Western-state conservatives in criticizing the legislation as a major blow to private property owners, whom they said are given inadequate protections against the government. "This does not go far enough to protect private landowners and it expands the federal lands program that’s in shambles," said Richard Pombo.

The Bill’s Sponsor, Congressman Don Young (R-AK), spent two days beating back property rights amendments. At one point he claimed he has always been a staunch supporter of property rights and that the Property Rights Voter Index still ranks him with a 91% approval.

House Majority Whip Tom DeLay convinced several GOP members to switch their votes and approve an amendment that would kill the bill’s new environmental spending if Congress doesn’t remain on track to eliminate the national debt by 2013 and doesn’t refrain from dipping into the Social Security surplus to fund the bill’s programs.

Donald Manzullo who opposed CARA said: "This bill increases Federal control. This enhanced power under CARA, coupled with the powerful club of over $1 billion a year, will lead to the centralization of State and local planning and zoning decisions in the hands of the Secretary of the Interior, who will be a de facto national planning and zoning czar…"

Don Young and his co-conspirators defeated an amendment that would have prevented any of the bill’s funds from being used to acquire lands through eminent domain. In all, over 40 amendments were offered, one passed and the rest failed.

It was reported that over four thousand advocacy groups lobbied for CARA, including the Camp Fire Girls to the U.S. Soccer Federation. President Clinton, Bruce Babbitt, the Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation and other environmental organizations praised Don Young for his preservation bill.

Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK), the sponsor of the companion bill S. 25 said: "There’s going to be some tidying up to do…I’d say it faces a thorough examination of realism." The Senate Energy Committee is expected to hold hearings at the end of this month on CARA. We still have time to let the dust settle and strike again in the Senate.

Tom DeLay was quoted as saying: "I am told it will die a rightful death" in the Senate. We might have better opportunities to stop the bill in the Senate, but we cannot underestimate how committed Don Young and his anti-private property collegues are to taking our land. Faxback docs.: Wash. Post 5/12, #2139 (3 pages); Final Roll Call Vote for CARA #2140 (4 pages).

At the same moment three hundred and fifteen members of the House of Representatives voted to make CARA law, Los Alamos, NM was burning to the ground. Brush burning was being carried out by the U.S. Park Service, despite warnings from the National Weather Service about adverse conditions. 18,000 acres and at least 400 homes are up in smoke and 18,000 people were forced to flee for their lives, thanks to the stupidity of federal officials. Friday, 20,000 acres of Cloudcroft, NM burned to the ground in only four hours. This is the kind of irresponsible management and ownership of land that CARA enables. Placing billions of dollars at the disposal of incompetent federal officials to buy private property is insanity of the highest order. Maybe the Senate will see the light. Faxback docs.: Chenoweth-Hage Press Release, #2141 (2 pgs), Los Alomos paper #2142 (5 pgs.).