Political Quotes

“let me begin by complementing our chairman pro tempore on his extremely judicious use of his authority today. It really was refreshing to have a bill come to the floor under an open rule and let Members talk about it. I am saying that as a Democrat. I am asking my colleagues to judiciously use their authority. This is not an attempt to kill the bill. I am going to vote for the bill. This is an attempt to perfect it, an attempt to perfect it that I made in committee, an attempt to perfect it that I have made privately with the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Clinger], an attempt to perfect it in conversations I had with the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Portman], and in conversations with the gentleman from California [Mr. Condit]. It is important, Mr. Chairman, that no one community poisons another community. That is the only point we are trying to make. The point is that the Clean Water Act was not reauthorized. Because it was not reauthorized, it will have to be reauthorized. When it does, it becomes new language. It there creates, in my mind and in a lot of people's minds, the question: Does that mean the wastewater effluent standards for our Nation go out the window, a very fair question to ask.”