On the recordMarch 8, 2011
let me thank, first, Senator Boxer for her leadership on this issue in bringing us together to point out what harm the House-passed budget bill would do to our environment. I start off by saying, when you look at the Republican budget plan in the House, it not only devastates important investments in our environment, it does not bring us to a balanced budget because all the savings they get in these Draconian cuts to our discretionary domestic spending are offset by extending the tax cuts. We lose all the savings through their tax policy. But today I want to talk about a nonmoney issue, at least a rider that was put on the House budget. Let me read what it says. The bill says that ``none of the funds made available in this Act may be used to . . . implement'' the Bay restoration plan now under way. I am talking about the Chesapeake Bay program, a matter I have talked about on this floor many times. What does that mean? That means none of the funds in the budget can be used in the six States that are in the watershed, including Maryland and the District of Columbia, to implement their plan. Each of these States is relying and getting Federal funds under the State revolving fund to deal with wastewater treatment plants. Those funds would be denied. None of the money could be used for the State water programs. None of the funds could be used for watershed groups to restore local streams.
