On the recordMarch 9, 2011
Today we are faced with two alternative versions of a fiscal year 2011 funding bill. The version that came over from the other body contains an endless list of problems. It slashes fundamental programs that are important to the health and well-being of every America, unleashes attacks on our bedrock environmental laws that protect clear and safe water as well as healthy air, and undermine our efforts to reassert America's leading role in education, research and innovation. Casting a vote against this bill will be easy. The alternative bill offered by the Senate Appropriations Committee is dramatically better. It is a good faith effort at tackling the deficit while maintaining critical investments in America's future. This bill, however, is not without its problems. The Senate version of the fiscal year 2011 spending bill restores a substantial portion of the cuts to the nation's water infrastructure contained in H.R. 1. I applaud the committee's effort to protect this critical investment, but it doesn't go far enough. As a nation, we see 650 water main breaks per day. That is the rate of one every 2 minutes and results in the loss of $2.6 billion in water annually. The story on wastewater systems is equally dismal, resulting in sewage overflows and broken pipes on a daily basis. Our drinking water and wastewater infrastructure has been given a grade of D- from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
