The Department of the Interior has the authority to acquire private land to protect the integrity of public lands and their resources. In places where public land is jeopardized by its proximity to proposed incompatible development on private lands, the Department can acquire private land for conservation purposes through condemnation.

Representative Tom DeLay (R TX-22) proposed an amendment to deny condemnation authority to the National Park Service with the proposed Mojave National Monument. The Park Service has this authority over virtually all other park units; the Mojave Monument should not be excluded from this protection. Conservationists opposed this inappropriate limitation on the management authority of the National Park Service.

The vote is on Representative DeLay's amendment to prohibit condemnation within the Mojave National Monument. The vote was rejected 143-289 on November 26, 1991. NO is the pro-environment vote.