Lois Capps: “I oppose this rule. I wanted to offer an amendment to remove the bill's special protection for MTBE manufacturers, but…”

“I oppose this rule. I wanted to offer an amendment to remove the bill's special protection for MTBE manufacturers, but with this rule, the House is deprived of that vote. The Republican leadership knows it could well lose a vote on such amendment. MTBE is responsible, after all, for polluting groundwater in hundreds of communities. Cleanup costs are estimated in the billions. Currently, MTBE manufacturers are being held accountable in court, but this bill gives them safe harbor. Many of us have water districts or towns with lawsuits against MTBE manufacturers that will be voided under this bill. For example, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Ferguson), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Garrett) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen); And from Connecticut, the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons); And from my home State, the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger), the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle), the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza), the gentleman from California (Mr. Nunes), the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), the gentleman from California (Mr. Gary Miller), the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), and the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox).…”