David Cay Johnston: “Well, the issue was at least talked about by the Senator from Michigan. I do not know that the Senator from Michigan…”

“Well, the issue was at least talked about by the Senator from Michigan. I do not know that the Senator from Michigan suggested this exact fix. He was at least in the room. I thought it was he who raised this question of quantifiable and nonquantifiable. Whoever raised it, we changed that definition so that benefit means identifiable significant favorable effects, quantifiable and nonquantifiable, so that you are able to use it, whether it is quantifiable or nonquantifiable, in meeting that test of cost-benefit. This is when you go beyond the quantifiable. You already quantified your benefits, but there will be other benefits nonquantifiable--the value of a life, the value of clean air, the smell of flowers in the springtime--all unquantifiable. That is what you can take into consideration, and we explicitly recognize that. You have already taken into consideration quantifiable, as well as nonquantifiable wants, but we are going beyond the statute at this point.”