As in the Senate (see Senate votes 6, 7, & 8), House debate on legislation to protect California's fragile desert lands was marked by controversy and frequent attempts at amendment. During the 11-week debate, in fact, lawmakers filed 43 amendments to the California Desert Protection Act (H.R. 518) introduced by Reps. Richard Lehman (D-CA) and George Miller (D-CA). Many amendments were offered by opponents as part of a strategy to prevent passage of the bill through extensive delays.

Recorded votes were taken on most of the proposed amendments, including the following:

In an effort to obstruct passage of the law and diminish wilderness protections, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) offered an amendment requiring State of California game managers to use motorized vehicles in wilderness areas. Rep. Bruce Vento (D-MN), an opponent, offered a substitute amendment that would allow -- but not require -- motor vehicle use for wildlife management where consistent with the Wilderness Act. Environmentalists had supported similar compromise language, which preserves the integrity of wilderness areas, in the 1990 Arizona Desert Wilderness Act.

On June 13, 1994, the House rejected the Vento substitute amendment by a vote of 183 - 189. YES is the pro-environment vote. Subsequently, the House accepted the Hunter amendment.