Political Quotes

“That is actually a related but somewhat different idea. If I have enough space on my amendments list, I intend to offer an amendment on this matter. The Senator from Ohio raised the same question, and this is what it is. Let us assume the estimate is that it is going to be $50 million in each of the 5 critical fiscal years, and therefore the threshold has been met. Therefore, the language must be in the bill or it is subject to a point of order. That could be 10 years away, that period that is being estimated. And let us assume that 10 years down the road there is new technology, as my friend from Ohio said. Instead of it costing $50 million to address the mercury problem in these incinerators, there has been a whole new technology designed and now all of a sudden it is $5 million. By the way, a lot of the previous estimates of costs to State and local governments have been overestimates. This is not new, totally new what is going on here. We have already required by law that there be estimates of costs to State and local governments, and there have been hundreds of them, approximately 800 of them, in the last 12 years. A lot of those estimates have been overestimates. Now I wish to get back to the topic because I am going to try to draft an amendment which would address this issue.”