Livestock Grazing on Public Land
The Clinton administration, with Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt in the lead, promised soon after taking office to reform the environmental abuses of livestock producers who graze their cattle and sheep on public land (see Senate vote Nos. 2-4). In the summer of 1993, a package of reforms was unveiled that included modest increases in the fees charged for the use of the land, moving them closer to fees charged on private land. Then on September 14, the Senate adopted an amendment to the 1994 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill that would prevent the Department of Interior from implementing its reforms or increasing livestock grazing fees for one year (see Senate vote No. 2).
The House in the past four years has repeatedly endorsed rangeland reform and increased grazing fees. To reiterate House support for this policy, and allow the administration to proceed with its regulatory efforts, Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH) offered a "Motion to Instruct the Conferees." It would instruct the members who were representing the House in negotiations with the Senate over the Interior Departments spending bill to reject the Senate language. Passage of Regula's motion would bring pressure on the Senate to reconsider Secretary Babbitt's grazing reforms. It was approved 314-109 on September 29,1993. YES is the pro-environmental vote.