On the recordJuly 25, 2011
I want to thank the gentleman from Louisiana for yielding. I rise in support of the Richmond amendment and in opposition to H.R. 2584, the Interior and Environment appropriations, and I do so because we cannot afford to make such drastic cuts to programs that benefit our Nation's drinking water, deplete our air pollution standards, and reduce the beautiful landscape. For example, in Illinois, where I live, the drinking water systems face a required investment of $13.5 billion over the next 20 years to replace aging facilities and comply with safe drinking regulations. In 2009, total Federal funding for drinking water was less than $3 billion, which included a one-time $2 billion infusion of funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Within Cook County, a large portion of my district, we can take only half an inch of rainwater before flooding takes place. This means sewer water and other contaminants flood both the streets and homes. We cannot afford to reduce the health and safety of our citizens, and we cannot disrupt our environment. Again, I thank the gentleman for yielding, urge support of his amendment, and urge that we defeat the overall appropriation bill.
