J. Exon: “I rise in support of the Kerry-Lautenberg amendment to restore funding for essential environmental programs. This…”

“I rise in support of the Kerry-Lautenberg amendment to restore funding for essential environmental programs. This amendment will help to protect the quality of our water and air, clean up toxic waste, and preserve our national parks and other natural resources by restoring proposed Republican cuts in the environment and natural resource programs. It appears as if my Republican colleagues are attempting to back away from and cleverly cover up all the damage their budget does to the environment. Some of my colleagues may be surprised to learn that their budget assumes savings derived from drilling for oil in the arctic refuge. It's in there, along with deep cuts for the EPA's enforcement and operations programs and the National Park Service's operations and maintenance activities. This amendment will keep the budget in balance by the year 2002. The $7 billion add back is easily offset by using just a fraction of the extension of expired tax provisions or the elimination of corporate loopholes the Republicans intend to use for their budget plan. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.”