Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt... said he is proud that the administration, through regulations, has accomplished many of the goals blocked by Congress.... "Here we are, having achieved 80 percent of what was sought in legislation, by administrative rule," said Babbitt....The New York Times, January 21, 2001:
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt... declined to criticize [secretary-designate Gale] Norton, but did denounce an idea Norton and [Rep. Jim] Hansen have supported: compensating property owners when environmental regulations stop them from developing their land.
"The radical property rights crowd are anarchists at heart, and I don't believe the American people will buy into that," Babbitt said.
"I have no doubt that [Gale] Norton is a very decent and capable person," said Senator Jeff Bingaman, the New Mexico Democrat acting as the committee's chairman. "But... [f]or over 20 years, she has consistently championed the interests of the individual over the public [and] the states over the federal government."
