Political Quotes

“Here we go again, yet another fix in search of a problem. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to Mr. Goodlatte's amendment. It would deliberately undermine the crucial work that is already being done to rehabilitate the Chesapeake Bay. It would also undermine the historic Federal-State partnership that has done so much already to improve the quality of the Bay and its surroundings. Mr. Chairman, the Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure. It is the Nation's largest estuary. It benefits all Americans, and especially those living in the six States that comprise the Bay watershed: Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, and the District of Columbia. The States in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including the gentleman's own home State of Virginia, have been working together for over 40 years to clean up the Bay. And guess what, Mr. Chairman? It is working. The Chesapeake Bay Program's most recent interim report shows that tremendous progress has been made. States are meeting the pollution reduction goals in their plans. In fact, some are exceeding them. Studies show that so-called ``dead zones'' are shrinking, and key populations such as oysters are starting to rebound. Under the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, States develop and implement their own pollution reduction plans. The EPA set up an initial framework, but the details of how each State chooses to reach the targets, in fact, are State-driven and State-implemented.…”