On the recordOctober 8, 2015
I rise reluctantly to acknowledge that I am going to vote in opposition to moving to cloture on this Energy and Water appropriations bill--reluctant because I have supported every single movement to go to the appropriations act because that is what the Senate should be doing. However, I will not reluctantly but will passionately object for the following reason: included in this energy and water report is language that was circuitously placed into the bill that would disadvantage my State of Georgia and show a preference to other States that surround it. It is not our job as Members of the Senate to circuitously write language into a bill that directs what policy this country may seek to follow. My State, Florida, and Alabama have been in litigation for 30 years over what is called the water wars in the ACF and the ACT Basins. There has been litigation and cases have been dismissed from the courts. We have settled law in terms of the disposition and responsibility of the Corps of Engineers. It is my responsibility, as a representative of my State, to do what is right, but it is also my responsibility to ask you the rhetorical question as follows: Should any Member of the Senate be able in any way possible to circuitously place language into a bill that would disadvantage one State or advantage another without debate or without direction?…
