Jay Inslee: “this rule is not in the finest traditions of this House. As it applies to Washington State, we have three icons in…”

“this rule is not in the finest traditions of this House. As it applies to Washington State, we have three icons in Washington State: the United States Navy, orca whales in the Puget Sound, and the Columbia River. All of them can live in perfect cohabitation if we come up with a rule that respects the values of all three. This rule does not allow this House to do that, because it seriously weakens the protections of the orca whales in the waters of the State of Washington. That is wrong. It is unnecessary. The bill that we will be considering without allowing an amendment proposed by Democrats would seriously strip the protection of orca whales in a way that is not necessary. We have proposed a way to protect both the strong U.S. Navy and a strong orca whale population. In the Columbia River system, we are now allowing potential leachate from radioactive materials being buried in unlined trenches, and the majority has denied us an amendment to solve that problem to keep radioactive waste out of the Columbia River system. The State of Washington says we ought to have a strong Navy, a strong orca whale and a strong Columbia River; and this rule does not allow any of those to take place.”