Rob Bishop: “On the policy level, this stuff is already covered in the Oil Pollution Act, the Superfund covers it, and if you are…”

“On the policy level, this stuff is already covered in the Oil Pollution Act, the Superfund covers it, and if you are really serious about doing this, lines 8 and 9 would be changed to ``NOAA,'' as they are in the current statute. They have the expertise and the money to actually accomplish it. But, Mr. Speaker, if I could say to all of you, with apologies to those who have been sending emails and dear colleagues around here, this amendment, you should simply throw it back. It is not a keeper. This is simply a fish story that is based on a big whopper. This amendment would actually take the bill, and it would gut it, clean it, and filet it. So, please, do not fall for this hook, line, and sinker. I am not fishing for compliments here. But we have been floundering to find a solution for a long time, and that is why the underlying bill has a boatload of support for it. I realize this is as good as it gets. I am okay, but those involved in the fishing community recognize that the status quo is not working as it was intended to work and needs to be fixed in some particular way. That is why, on the underlying bill, the commercial industry, the fishing industry, and the recreationists already are in support and have publicly said that. That is the first time all three groups have actually gotten together on this particular bill. They realize there needs to be change in the status quo.…”