Carolyn Maloney: “I thank the ranking member for his leadership, I thank him and Chairman McKeon for the bipartisan approach of including…”

“I thank the ranking member for his leadership, I thank him and Chairman McKeon for the bipartisan approach of including amendments in the en bloc, and I thank you for including my amendment in en bloc No. 4. My amendment, No. 121, would narrow an overly broad exemption under FOIA. We must protect certain critical security infrastructure information to keep our defense operations, properties, and facilities safe from terrorists. But we must not be overly broad in our definition. My amendment strikes a balance between safeguarding our critical infrastructure security information and the public's right to know. Withholding certain information could endanger the public. And to give one example is the case of the Marine Corps Camp Lejeune water contamination tragedy. For three decades, thousands of marines and their families consumed tap water contaminated with chemicals, the likely cause of their cancers. Led by Members of Congress, victims and supporters have blamed Marine Corps leadership for hiding the problem and for failing to act. My amendment would prevent another Camp Lejeune from happening. I thank the chairman and ranking member for including it in en bloc No. 4. Mr. McKEON. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.”