Political Quotes

“I will be brief and turn it back to Senator Portman. We worked on this issue for a long time. We remember what happened with algal blooms 4 years ago. We remember just last year--1 year ago-- in August, 500,000 people in northwest Ohio didn't have drinking water. Imagine what that does to a community for 2\1/2\, 3 days. We know that the Western Basin of Lake Erie is the shallowest part of any of the Great Lakes--only 30 feet deep in the Western Basin. Contrast that with Lake Superior, where 600 feet deep is the average. You can see the vulnerability of Lake Erie and what it means. Whether it is from runoff, whether it is from agriculture and homeowners and commercial and industrial establishments, the Maumee River Basin is the largest river feeding any of the Great Lakes. Whether it is coming together on climate change and heating of the water and all the issues that affect the short term and long term, our legislation will help us this year and help us the next couple of years. We obviously need long- term solutions. This is critical. I called the mayor of Toledo today, and I know Senator Portman is working with the city, the county, the State EPA, and the U.S. EPA on this. This is very crucial for people in our State and ultimately throughout the Great Lakes as these problems proliferate. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio.”