85 



the Forest Service. And that is our responsibility to do it or not do 

 it, and we will be addressing that next week. 



Again, Brad, I want to thank you, and I would feel much better 

 if Phil Janik — although, like I say, he is still in my doghouse. A 

 heart attack is an excuse once. The second time it is not. But Gary 

 showed up and you showed up both times, and I would feel much 

 better if that responsibility of making decisions — because you live 

 with the people — was made here. I do not feel comfortable with it 

 being made in Washington, D.C. That is the intent of my belief. 



I happen to believe so strongly that local people should have the 

 input, should have the power, and should have the ability to make 

 the decision how it affects their lives. It should never be done by 

 centralized government. That is just my own philosophy and has 

 been for years. Our strength and our Constitution, very frankly — 

 and I sort of get a little concerned when someone says I said "sell 

 land." I said nothing about selling anything. My concept is the clos- 

 er to government the people are, the better the government you 

 have. If you do not have it close to the people, eventually the peo- 

 ple will turn against the government, and that has begun across 

 this nation and it is not healthy, and it puts you in a terrible posi- 

 tion, including myself, and if you believe in this great America, you 

 have got to have a relationship of partners and people, people with 

 the government, not the government doing it to the people. 



So I do thank you for your time and effort and good luck to you 

 and hope you have a nice 4th. 



With that, I do thank everybody for being here today, and this 

 meeting is adjourned. 



[Whereupon, at 12:30 p.m., the Committee was adjourned; and 

 the following was submited for the record:] 



