Edolphus Towns: “I think that to legislate in this fashion is not the way to go. This is a very serious issue, very serious matter; and…”

“I think that to legislate in this fashion is not the way to go. This is a very serious issue, very serious matter; and when we look at the people that are against this legislation, I think that is enough to bring about some kind of reservation and pause on the other side of the aisle to say maybe we should stop at this point and do it right. I think when we look at the fact that the Physicians for Social Responsibility, they are against this. The United States Public Interest Research Group, they are against it. And, of course, Friends of the Earth and we can go on and on, Environmental Defense and Clean Water Act Action, they are all against it in the Sierra Club, and the list goes on and on and on. I do not think that we should do this this kind of way. I mean, why should we do it in a closed-door kind of thing? Why do we not open up the process and let us deliberate it and see if we cannot come out with something that is really going to make a difference. I hope that my colleagues would look at that; and then if not, then I will ask our friends who are concerned about small businesses to vote no. This is not it.”