Tom Lantos: “I rise in support of H.R. 720, the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007, I would like to thank my distinguished…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 720, the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007, I would like to thank my distinguished colleague, Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, James Oberstar, and my friend from Michigan, Bart Stupak, for their work on the Great Lakes Water Quality amendment. This amendment calls for a study to examine the effect that waste water treatment facilities feeding into the Great Lakes are having on the water quality of the largest fresh water system in the world. I want to commend my good friend from Michigan for raising this important issue. I believe, however, that a study of this kind can only be conducted in collaboration with the Department of State, the International Joint Commission, which is a joint U.S.-Canada border commission, and the Government of Canada itself. We must all recognize that this study cannot be completed without cooperation from our friends north of the border. I hope that as this legislation moves through the legislative process we will be able to examine the role that the International Joint Commission can play in conducting this study and ensuring a bi-national environment open to the research needs of this examination. I thank Representative Stupak for bringing this important amendment to the bill.”