Michael Synar: “This bill is not about regulatory reform of landfills, sewers, or water. This bill is not about the illegal taking of…”

“This bill is not about regulatory reform of landfills, sewers, or water. This bill is not about the illegal taking of private property. This bill is not about reining in an EPA that is out of control. This bill is not about setting environmental priorities. It is not about unfunded Federal mandates. It is not about big government and excessive regulations. Most of all, it is not about redesigning farmers' spring wardrobes. What this bill, that we consider today, is about is whether we as a nation believe that the Environmental Protection Agency should be raised to a Cabinet level position so that it can hold other Federal departments and agencies accountable to lead on the environmental front, as we do with small businessmen and individuals, and whether we believe the Environmental Protection Agency should be of the stature that the rest of the world places their environmental protection agencies, so that as we try to clean up not only our own country but this planet, we do it with the dignity and stature it deserves.”