Lincoln Chafee: “I dispute the Senator's characterization of the Congress or the Senate saying thou shalt not engage in flow control. It…”

“I dispute the Senator's characterization of the Congress or the Senate saying thou shalt not engage in flow control. It is not us that is saying that. The Supreme Court has said, ``You can't do it. And, indeed, if you try and do it, you are violating the Constitution.'' But the Supreme Court goes on to say, ``But if you, the Congress, want to give them that power, then you have the ability to do so.'' I do not think it is us imposing a ``thou shalt not'' on them. In effect, we are coming to their rescue. It is true, we could be a broader rescue mission than we are currently on. The Senator aptly has pointed out, all we are doing is limiting our rescue mission; all we are saying is we will rescue those towns that have already made the commitment. They had imposed flow control saying everything had to go to this central landfill or central incinerator, and we are saying you can keep it up because you issued bonds thinking the law was the way it was, you did it fairly, and along comes the Supreme Court which says it is against the Constitution. OK, we will come and help you out. That is what we are doing. We are not doing it, as the Senator is aptly saying, in perpetuity. We are not saying whatever you want to do in the towns is OK. We are limiting it. But it is not us who said no to them to start with.”