William M. ``Mac'' Thornberry: “I think there are three points really that need to be made at the conclusion of this debate. Number one is that there is…”

“I think there are three points really that need to be made at the conclusion of this debate. Number one is that there is no narrow motion to recommit on a conference report. We cannot send it back with an amendment. All we can do is send it back to negotiate with the Senate, and everything that is in this conference report is vulnerable then, and there is no indication we can do any better. We may do worse by the gentleman from Michigan if we get back to the negotiations with the Senate, even on the provisions that he is concerned about. There is no free vote here. Second point that has to be emphasized is we do not change the environmental standards one inch. There are several places in this bill we specifically say the same standards that apply before apply afterwards, and as a matter of fact, I would remind this body that the language on the environment was word for word what was adopted unanimously in the other body by an amendment by Senators Domenici, Bingaman, Levin, Lieberman, and Reed, hardly a bunch of environmental extremists as some may have portrayed. I would also like to mention that the National Governors' Association, as opposed to what has been said, do not oppose these provisions. They have expressed some concerns, we have answered them in those concerns by the letter from the chairman, and both they and the Attorney Generals Association, once we talk to them and show them the language, are backing off, and we have that in the record.”