Political Quotes

“I respect his views and his opinions although we certainly differ on the perspective on this issue. This isn't a unique or different approach to this issue of the disposal of low-level radioactive waste. Indeed, the U.S. Congress mandated that the States assume the responsibility of the disposal of low-level radioactive waste in or out of their States. And this is in response to a congressional mandate that began in 1980 and, as I said earlier, reinforced by amendments to that act in 1985. So this isn't a diversion from that approach. It isn't different from all of the other compacts that have been ratified by the Congress over time. And, as I said earlier, there are nine different compacts, that include 41 different States, including the State of Minnesota, the State that the Senator represents. So why should Texas and Maine and Vermont be any different? The Senator referred to some of the amendments that he had offered to this legislation, but they did not prevail. Those amendments did not prevail because those conditions and stipulations would require years of reratification. And I mention the fact that those conditions were not included in any of the other nine compacts that were enacted and ratified by the Congress over the years.”