Patty Murray: “local elected officials in my home State of Washington have discussed the cost of Federal laws with me since I came to…”

“local elected officials in my home State of Washington have discussed the cost of Federal laws with me since I came to the U.S. Senate. I understand their concerns; I served in my State legislature, and know it can be costly to comply with some Federal laws. For that reason, I cast my vote for this legislation. But, Mr. President, as you and all our colleagues know, I have some serious concerns about this bill. I think, it some senses, it might go too far. Some Senators might wrongly assume that passage of this bill means that they have free rein to gut environmental and labor laws, or health and safety regulations. That is not what the people of my State want. They just want us to be honest in budgeting. They want us to consider the cost of regulations and mandates we consider. They want us to use common sense in legislating. That means clean water, safe streets and neighborhoods--the benefits of Federal mandates. Therefore, Mr. President, I will work within the new constraints of this legislation to ensure that America's environment, health, safety, and labor laws enjoy the highest standards in the world. The passage of this bill just makes me more determined than ever to fight for the well-being of future generations.”