David Cay Johnston: “The point is not what has happened in past history. We are dealing with what this bill says now here. I and my staff…”

“The point is not what has happened in past history. We are dealing with what this bill says now here. I and my staff worked with the majority leader on this very provision to take care of not only E. coli, not only cryptosporidium, not only Ebola virus, but all public safety threats so that we exempted from any cost-benefit analysis or any risk assessment if it is impractical due to an emergency or health or safety threat that is likely to result in significant harm to the public or natural resources. Mr. President, what could be more clear than that? If it is a threat to public health or safety or likely to result in any significant harm to the public or natural resources, you do not have to do a cost- benefit analysis. You do not have to do a risk assessment. That was not in the original Dole bill. They accepted this amendment. Now they do not want to take yes for an answer. Mr. President, we need to get this bill to be really considered for what it says. I just received a statement of administration policy on this Comprehensive Regulatory Reform Act which I must tell you, Mr. President, I find offensive. I think it is disingenuous.”