William Tauzin: “I want to join my friend tonight in this special order and first of all congratulate him for the very courageous…”

“I want to join my friend tonight in this special order and first of all congratulate him for the very courageous position he and many others in this body are taking in support of the risk assessment amendment. As the gentleman knows, the fight has been led on the Senate side, as the gentleman just mentioned, by my own Senator, Senator Bennett Johnston. I happen to be the sponsor of the same bill on the House side. The gentleman has been a leader, as the House knows, on this issue in the House. It is critical that we get this issue addressed at some point. I and others tomorrow are going to join the gentleman in opposition to this rule because the rule denies us a chance to give Americans that debate on whether or not the environmental policy should be balanced against the needs of humans and property owners, make sure that in fact we do not cost people out of business and their jobs and their livelihoods. I want to congratulate the gentleman on his effort. I also will be urging a 'no' vote on the rule because we will not have a chance to offer a takings amendment, because so often the rulings of EPA and Corps of Engineers on the Wetlands 404 Permit Section, amount to takings of private property. When the Corps and the EPA come along and tell you that you cannot use your property any more because the public has a bigger interest in it than you do, that is a taking as far as I am concerned.”