Henry Waxman: “In the bill itself you have some exemptions. The bill says if it is a statutory right that prohibits discrimination, we…”

“In the bill itself you have some exemptions. The bill says if it is a statutory right that prohibits discrimination, we will not look at the cost of that. That, of course, involves civil rights laws and the Americans With Disabilities Act, which do involve costs. The bill provides an exception where it is emergency assistance or relief at the request of any State or local government, or necessary for the national security or the ratification of implementation of international treaty obligations. Why should an international treaty obligation not even be considered for the costs involved, but yet some of these interstate environmental problems, where the Federal Government has a clear responsibility, should be blocked by this legislation?”