"The Nation behaves well if it treats its natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased; and not impaired in value."
Mr. Secretary, it's good to see you again. Your presence here today gives me the opportunity to once again thank you for your service as Secretary of the Interior.
You are well known for wearing your cowboy hat here in Washington D.C. but as Secretary of the Interior you have worn many different hats that reflect the multitude of responsibilities entrusted to the Interior Department, and you have carried out those responsibilities very admirably.
Speaking of that cowboy hat, I understand there was an unveiling recently of your Secretarial portrait and in that portrait you are wearing a cowboy hat. What else is interesting about that portrait is that you included your family in the picture. Good for you. Their presence is a recognition of not only the support they have provided to you but a reminder to all of us that the decisions made today will impact our children and grandchildren for years to come.
As that great American president and conservationist Teddy Roosevelt once noted: "The Nation behaves well if it treats its natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased; and not impaired in value."
Mr. Secretary, there is much to like in the fiscal year 2014 budget request for the Department of the Interior. It carries forth that stewardship legacy that President Roosevelt spoke about. The budget request attempts to turn the corner and put behind us the mindless sequester we are now dealing with. I know you share with me the concern about the impact of these sequester cuts not only on the natural and historical resources entrusted to the department but also the impact on the dedicated employees who in many ways are bearing the brunt of the sequester through furloughs and program cuts.
We can only hope that as the fiscal year 2014 budget goes forward, we can restore some sanity to the budget process and provide the department with the fiscal tools it needs to carry out its important work.
Mr. Secretary, I want to again congratulate you on a job well done. We will miss you, although we expect that Interior will remain in capable hands when your successor, Sally Jewell, is sworn in.
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
