There is something that is not quite right about the hearing room this morning and I suspect that it will feel that way for some time. Of course, we are missing our Chairman and friend, John Chafee. Senator Chafee was the kind and gentle Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, but we will miss him in many capacities. He took great interest the issues we are confronting today, and nearly always attended hearings of this Subcommittee. In fact, at our last Subcommittee hearing on October 19'h, Senator Chafee was here and stayed through most of the hearing listening to the testimony and asking questions.
He was deeply committed to conserving the environment, and our fisheries and wildlife resources. He was so personally committed to these issues that when my predecessor, Senator Dirk Kempthorne, began holding field hearings around the country to examine concerns with the Endangered Species Act, Senator Chafee attended many of these hearings in rural communities of the West. In my view, his willingness to travel cross county, to places he had probably never heard of, to gain a better understanding of the region's concerns with the Endangered Species Act speaks volumes about his commitment to these issues.
Senator Chafee worked with Senator Kempthorne in crafting a bipartisan Endangered Species Act reform bill in the last Congress. The bill had broad support, and, in fact, many members of this Committee were cosponsors of the bill.
I know that we will miss Senator Chafee as we move ahead in addressing the concerns we've heard in our hearings with respect to Habitat Conservation Plans. Issues relating to the environment, fisheries, and wildlife have become contentious and polarized in recent years. I am hopeful that we can follow his example by working collaboratively to find solutions that conserve species and benefit property owners.