Senate Passes Redrawn New England Wilderness Act

WASHINGTON (Friday, Sept. 29) -- Racing against the final hours on the clock as Congress wraps up its regular session for the year, the Vermont Congressional Delegation has gotten the New England Wilderness Act back on the legislative tracks with unanimous Senate passage of the bill Friday afternoon.  The bipartisan bill goes next to the House, which may adjourn as early as Friday night.

This is the second time in two weeks that the Senate has passed a Vermont-related wilderness bill.  The original New England Wilderness Act, which makes wilderness designations in Vermont and New Hampshire, also unanimously passed the Senate Sept. 19 but then was derailed when Gov. Jim Douglas contacted House Republican leaders to raise concerns about the bill. 

On Thursday (yesterday) the Delegation – Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Jim Jeffords, and Congressman Bernie Sanders -- reached agreement with the Governor on the bill with the same compromise that had been offered to the Governor earlier this month, which removes about 6000 acres of wilderness acreage from the Glastenbury area.  The bill was then redrawn and quickly reintroduced on the same day. 

“Getting Congress to pass anything this late in the session is the legislative equivalent of a hat trick,” said Leahy.  “But as long as the lights are on we will keep pushing to get this done for the Vermonters of today and tomorrow.”

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