Sam Brownback: “I rise in support of the Feingold amendment, of which I am a cosponsor, and associate myself with the Senator's…”

“I rise in support of the Feingold amendment, of which I am a cosponsor, and associate myself with the Senator's comments. I would like to note first that the Senator from Colorado [Mr. Campbell], has done an outstanding job in representing his State in the work he has done on this particular project, and I realize I come late to this project and this proposal that he has worked on for a number of years. But as a new Senator looking at it, I have some questions about this particular project and this particular proposal, and that is why I join in this amendment. I know it has gone on for some period of time, and this has been a fight that has existed for some long period of time. But I think there are some questions that need to be answered. I think we have now started to take some of the tentative steps toward resolving those issues. No. 1, this ought to be scrutinized by the authorizing committee rather than going through the appropriations process. That seems to be the legitimate way to go for us. It should first and foremost proceed through the authorizing committee, and this will give us a chance to better develop an alternative plan. There are significant environmental questions regarding the issue of this particular project.”