The Federal and state Partnership for Environment Protection Act does exactly what the title implies and would go a long way toward making the states partners with EPA in cleaning up hazardous waste sites.

Yes. And I think you followed--that was my follow-up question. Why would that--why is it important that the states at least have some role?

I call my colleagues attention to Section 121(f) of the existing statute which sets forth in detail requirements for 'substantial and meaningful involvement by each state in initiation, development, and selection of remedial actions.'

I fail to understand the purpose of this hearing or legislation other than to provide work for its members and staff.

When we got small business out of the liability regulations, the de minimis parties, and that was a successful piece of legislation that we were able to pick out what was wrong and how we could fix it and the like.

In essence, the state Partnership Act, giving states more of a role in the whole process as----

As conservative Republicans, additional litigation is something that we are not interested in.

the states' ability or willingness to take on the cleanup responsibilities for these has gone down

That was one of the pieces of legislation that I helped originally cosponsor to get to small businesses.

So I can, then, call the State of New Jersey and say, I have got a city manager who says it is going to be helpful to him to review all his local ordinances every 3 years.

I think this is good faith effort, these 3 bills, to do that.

But the point of the question is one of the pieces of legislation says that the Federal Government, the EPA has to review every regulation within 3 years.

I think it is our subcommittee's responsibility to oversee the EPA actions.

If I had to make a choice between doing that and spending the money on the cleanup, I would spend the money on the cleanup.

I mean, it's so humbling now on the other side of it to see what, you know, what the government will do for their citizens.

It is so important that any changes this committee considers to Superfund builds on its success helping communities like yours instead of undermining it.

Now, taxpayers should not be intimidated by the IRS.

We all know that's outrageous and not acceptable.