Sherwood Boehlert: “I just want to point out as we are talking about something, just because he says it is so does not mean it is so. Let me…”

“I just want to point out as we are talking about something, just because he says it is so does not mean it is so. Let me stress this bill does not have any earmarks; earmarks, that is, directing the expenditure of a certain amount of money for any particular project. That is very important for all my colleagues to understand. Second, the preceding speaker, the gentleman from Michigan, for whom I have the greatest respect, could teach us all a lesson on how to get pork because, as I look at the appropriations from 1992 through 1997, I notice $320 million specifically earmarked for the Rouge River National Wet Weather project. Now, in 1992 it was $46 million; he was modest that year. In 1993 he got a little more energized, was up to $82 million, and keep going up. In 1994, $85 million. In 1995, in the spirit of the day, modestly went back to $75 million. In 1996, well, there have been some changes around here, was only $11\5/8\ million, but in 1997 the committee report already includes $20 million. The point is, and I have no quarrel; I used to live in Michigan. I can understand the importance of cleaning up the Rouge River, and I want to work with the gentleman to do just that.”