Brian Bilbray: “I am very impressed with my colleagues who are concerned about the effective and efficient use of taxpayers' funds. I…”

“I am very impressed with my colleagues who are concerned about the effective and efficient use of taxpayers' funds. I think all of America will be very impressed with the fact that Congress is finally very, very sensitive on that issue. But let me remind my colleagues, if we defeat this bill here today we will lose over $500 million that can be used for safeguarding our drinking water. Mr. Speaker, what we are talking about here today is having a new Safe Drinking Water Act that fulfills the promises of the old act. One example is that there are many assumptions that the voters and the citizens of America make about their drinking water. One of them was the fact that when one bought a bottle of water, that the Federal Government assured that it was as clean as what was coming out of the tap. Under the old act that assurance was not a reality. Under the new act that assurance will be in reality. Now, our bottled water in America has been very good, but I think the assurance that it is, and will remain good is what the new act is all about. We are fulfilling the promises of the old act with the new act.”