On the recordJuly 26, 2011
To respond to my friend and colleague, Mr. Terry, with all due respect, I didn't come to the floor today with a tactic. I offered this, I raised this in the committee. We had a very good discussion about it there. It's my understanding that an EIS is being conducted, but an EIS on the entire pipeline is very different than what I am raising. And the head of the agency, of PHMSA, when she appeared before the committee, understanding that there had not been an examination in particular about the tar sands crude oil and bitumen, said that her agency would be pleased to undertake that study. So I'm here today, obviously, to offer this amendment. I think it is based on good common sense that we examine this before we go ahead with it. I raised something that is very real and that is just a handful of miles from where I live, even though it is outside my congressional district, where lives were lost--eight people were killed, dozens were injured, and 55 homes destroyed. So this is not a tactic. This is not to delay. This is to get this right before the permit is issued. I think the agency can do this on an expedited basis. I'm not seeking to delay and blow up anything. I'm here relative to public health and public safety. I yield back the balance of my time.
