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Water Rights
Butch believes there is nothing more precious or important to Idaho and its citizens than water. It’s the lifeblood of our forests, our high desert and our rich agricultural heritage. From recreation and wildlife to energy and industry, water is the one thing we can’t do without. That’s why Butch is committed to maintaining the quality of Idaho’s water while protecting it from out-of-state appropriation or diversion, from letting others determine the priorities for its use, and from attempts to send it downstream without meeting the needs of our people, communities and economy.
Gun Rights
Butch believes that the rights afforded by the Second Amendment are those by which Americans are able to preserve and protect all other rights provided by the Constitution. That’s why Butch will fight attempts to restrict law-abiding citizens from purchasing, owning, carrying or lawfully using firearms. Crime and violence are not due to a lack of gun control, but to a lack of personal responsibility or respect for the rights of others. That’s why Butch is committed to reducing the level of political rhetoric surrounding gun control, protecting the Second Amendment and promoting the role of personal responsibility.
Fiscal Responsibility
Butch believes Congress has an obligation to taxpayers to be wise stewards of their money. While increased spending on homeland security and defense are warranted by the war on terrorism, Butch knows those priorities make it all the more important to practice budget restraint and rein in out-of-control government spending. That’s why Butch is committed to making taxes fairer and less burdensome. It’s why he’s committed to overcoming bureaucratic inertia and making government the people’s servant, not its master. And it’s why he’ll keep working for greater fiscal discipline to balance the federal budget.
Patriot Act
Butch believes that much of the USA PATRIOT Act is needed to help protect us in a dangerous age of stateless zealots and mindless violence. But the law also raises too many opportunities for civil liberties to be sacrificed in the name of security. Some sections of the law seriously compromise the checks and balances on which our freedoms depend. That’s why Butch is sponsoring the Security and Freedom Ensured (SAFE) Act. It would restore judicial oversight and impose clear, reasonable limits on government authority while continuing to provide law enforcement with the weapons needed to shield us from terrorism.
Public Lands
Butch believes federal agencies have a responsibility to be good neighbors and even better stewards of the nearly two-thirds of Idaho they manage. He believes the government has an obligation to involve those who know and understand the issues best in land management decisions. The idea is that people most influenced by federal policies should play a larger role in developing them. That’s why Butch is committed to rolling back big- government, one-size-fits-all policy making on such issues as public lands access, water sovereignty, wildlife management and sustainable use of natural resources.
Endangered Species Act
Butch believes the Endangered Species Act was enacted with noble intentions, but has fallen far short of its goals. The ESA has been ineffective in saving species while imposing severe restrictions on property owners, agriculture, logging, mining and other interests. That’s why Butch is working for common-sense reforms to put the survival of plants and animals on a par with the well being of another species – human beings. Butch is committed to ensuring the emphasis is on science rather than advocacy, and that incentives rather than punitive measures engage landowners in helping to conserve species.
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© 2006
C.L. Butch Otter, United States Congress
1711 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 | (202) 225-6611 | Fax: (202) 225-3029