Jerry Lewis: “My sense-of-the-Congress amendment supports expanding the ability of States and localities to recommend alternative…”

“My sense-of-the-Congress amendment supports expanding the ability of States and localities to recommend alternative methods to filtration for meeting EPA water standards, by applying to the Federal Government the filtration avoidance based on information, technology, or evidence not available prior to an EPA determination that the State or locality had to adopt filtration. Under my proposal, if the EPA determines that the States or localities' alternatives do not comply with Federal standards, the EPA can still reject the State alternatives. I do not believe my amendment is controversial, and I have received support from the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton) and a number of Members from both sides of the aisle who have gone on record in their willingness to work with me in a bipartisan manner on this important issue. I hope that I can work with the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bliley), and the EPA as we go to conference and over the next year to resolve this very important issue.”