Elizabeth Furse: “I am just shocked that my constituents are not going to be told that there are nuclear materials being put into the…”

“I am just shocked that my constituents are not going to be told that there are nuclear materials being put into the rivers, into the waters, if that polluter is a Federal facility. We do not allow anyone else in this country to self-regulate. It does not seem fair that private businesses are held to stricter rules, to stricter costs, much greater costs than government facilities. If private businesses are not allowed to self-regulate, why should the Federal Government be? I represent the First Congressional District of Oregon. That is on the Columbia River. The Idaho National Engineering Lab is upstream from me. That means that my constituents of the First Congressional District of Oregon may be having nuclear materials put into the river and they are not going to be told about it. I just think that is plain wrong. Mr. Chairman, we are sent here to speak for our constituents, to defend their health. I would like to urge my colleagues who represent districts that are downstream from these Federal facilities to make sure that we do not allow our constituents' health to be damaged. I am going to vote yes to protect the health of my citizens on the DeFazio amendment, and I would like to urge every other Member who represents someone who is maybe downstream from a Federal facility to do the same.”