John Kerry: “I want to thank Senator Bond and Senator Mikulski for their hard work in bringing this bill to the floor so quickly and…”

“I want to thank Senator Bond and Senator Mikulski for their hard work in bringing this bill to the floor so quickly and with such widespread support. It is a good bill--one which balances a number of competing demands while reinforcing the Senate's commitment to create new affordable housing and community development opportunities. This is not an easy task, and they deserve congratulations for successfully juggling many differing needs and interests. While I wish that it could be more, I was pleased that President Clinton requested $50 million in funding for the cleanup of Boston Harbor. I am disappointed that the bill does not allocate funding for this project and other important water and sewer projects in Massachusetts. However, I am pleased that the House of Representatives has funded four important water and sewer projects in Massachusetts. I will be working to ensure that funding for Boston Harbor and other important water and sewer priorities are included in the Conference Report. I believe that the overall budget for the Environmental Protection Agency is adequate. However, I am disappointed that bill does not include $600 million in funding to accelerate the cleanup of superfund sites which protect the public health. I am also delighted that the bill includes a $500,000 appropriation to undertake interior restorations of Symphony Hall in Boston.”