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Morning News

Confirmation Hearings: Prospective Interior Secretary Gale Norton Vows to Consider Western Point of View

Aired January 19, 2001 - 11:19 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We'll have more on the pomp and circumstance in just a moment. First, though, some more serious business: more on the hearings for the Bush appointees today.

And with more on that, let's go to Bob Franken standing by here in Washington -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, this is the Ashcroft hearing, which is still going on. It's sort of like a fight that goes the full 15 rounds when they really thought they were going to go 12. This is the fourth day of hearings. They are wrapping up. They're doing it very slowly.

You see Sen. Dianne Feinstein there, who is questioning some of the latest -- the last panel on gun control questions. People from Handgun Control and the like are saying that they really find Sen. Ashcroft's record on gun control to be very, very difficult for them, let them believe that he would be able to enforce the laws on gun control if he became the attorney general. That's been one of the many issues that's been raised through these now four days of hearings.

It looks like they're going to bet through quite soon. And then there will be a waiting period. It looks like Ashcroft will be confirmed, although, as we've heard, Sen. Edward Kennedy is making threats about conducting a filibuster, which could make the battle a little bit more difficult. Nevertheless, the feeling is Ashcroft will be confirmed.

The other contentious hearing going on -- there are several hearings, of course, but the other one includes the prospective interior secretary, Gale Norton. She has come under fire from environmental groups who just don't like her attitude toward how environmental laws should be enforced, whether they should be, in fact, left more to the states and, in fact, corporate interests, or whether the federal government should continue. She represents, she says, a view from the Western part of the United States that Washington has imposed far too much bureaucracy on them. She feels that the Western state point of view really needs to be considered.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GALE NORTON, INTERIOR SECRETARY NOMINEE: Certainly in the Western United States there has been a large concern that their voices have not been heard, that the current secretary of the interior has not listened, has not sought to provide the input that those in the West would like to have. I would like to be sure that when we make decisions, we are making those with the input from all of those who are affected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: And so, Daryn, as you pointed out, the pomp and circumstance accompanying the beginning of the Bush administration is going on full tilt in Washington. But at the same time, the wheels of business that the administration will conduct are starting to grind already as the people who are going to run that business are fighting to get their nominations confirmed and become part of the new Bush administration -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Bob Franken, thank you very much.

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