The purpose of this bill is to protect my private property owners, ... and to make them willing participants in protecting species and their habitat.
We knew the Endangered Species Act had problems, ... We knew there were things that needed to get fixed, that weren't working in current law.
Everything we do when it comes to taking land for a public good or a public use, we pay them for it. But when it comes to the Endangered Species Act right now they get it for nothing, so they don't want to have to pay for it,
I am willing to do whatever we can to put the focus on recovery and do what we can to recover these species as long as my property owners are protected,
The Endangered Species Act is in desperate need of an update, ... It has hurt species recovery by leading to the trend we all know as 'shoot, shovel and shut up.' And it has hurt family farmers and ranchers by taking their property away.