Thomas Daschle: “Certainly, but first I want to take a moment to thank the Senator from Virginia for his long-standing dedication and…”

“Certainly, but first I want to take a moment to thank the Senator from Virginia for his long-standing dedication and leadership on this issue. We have worked together on AST legislation since the 102d Congress, and again I appreciate this opportunity to work with him. Senator Mikulski may remember that 6 years ago Sioux Falls suffered an AST leak of great magnitude. I can tell my colleague from personal observation that the environmental and public health effects of the spill were devastating, not to mention the costly cleanup expenses incurred. We now have the means to prevent similar incidents in my State and throughout the Nation. My colleague from Virginia indicated the two GAO reports confirm that AST leakage is a prevalent problem across the country.”