Over the last six years, airlines have experienced severe financial pressure to leave smaller communities, making demands on the EAS program even greater.

Madam Speaker, I have spent more than half my life as a member of the Resources Committee. In that time I have supported numerous wilderness designations. In fact, I cannot recall ever opposing a wilderness bill.

Simply put, I believe we should not seek the lowest common denominator when it comes to wilderness and saddle a wilderness designation with exceptions, exclusions, and exemptions.

With that in mind and in celebration of National Prayer Day, today I have proposed in the House of Representatives a Constitutional Amendment that would restore voluntary prayer in our Nation's schools.

But through world wars and a Great Depression, through painful social upheaval and a Cold War, and now through the attacks of September 11, 2001, our Nation has indeed survived.

We all understand that compromise is part of the legislative process, yet at the same time, I would submit that wilderness is not for sale.

The spirit of Christmas is - and hopefully always will be - about goodwill and generosity to others and peace on earth.