Joe Manchin

I thank you all, and let's work together to get this done.

The bottom line is that no West Virginian or American should have to worry about the contamination of their water supply from a chemical spill.

Taxpayers should not be forced to pay for the monetary damages incurred from this incident or any other chemical spill.

This is a wakeup call for this country.

The spill should have never have happened. There is no excuse for it.

If you can't do it right, don't do it. If it is not safe, don't do it.

Bipartisan, bicameral--we need more of this. We really need do.

I will be introducing the Ensuring Access to Clean Water Act when I return to Washington this evening.

We need to learn from West Virginia and American Water when it learned of Freedom's spill.

Their decision not to testify today compounds its gross misconduct, and it is an absolute affront to every person impacted by the spill.

The Manchin bill definitely would move things forward at least for those tanks near drinking water supplies.

I hope during your work you do in West Virginia you will come forward with suggestions to us as to how we can minimize the cost to the taxpayers, the rate payers, the individuals and find ways to hold those who are responsible accountable…

The people I represent in Maryland are at risk.

We strongly support moving forward with legislation for real source water protection and drinking water.

I think that the bill recently introduced by Senators Manchin, Boxer and Rockefeller would take a major step in that direction to force somebody to deal with that situation at the State level.

We are always reluctant to preempt local government.

I want to thank Senators Rockefeller and Manchin, Congressmen Rahall, Capito and Governor Earl Ray Tomblin for their assistance during this crisis.

On the Federal side, we also support the Manchin-Boxer proposed legislation to tighten the standards in the Safe Drinking Water Act.

By requiring EPA to establish minimum acceptable standards by which the states will be held accountable, we can significantly reduce the risk of similar problems in the future.

I am a mother and a grandmother. I live in the Kanawha Valley. I understand the fear and trepidation and anger the people feel because I feel it too.

Senator Manchin and I wrote a letter to the CDC asking for their testing protocols.

My hope is that the Federal Government will listen to our concerns.

I am not sure that Congress can ever completely legislate away the irresponsibility.

There are too many unanswered questions for which we all need answers.

Today, I am asking all West Virginians, the EPA, the CDC, the West Virginia DEP, and all those involved to join me in pledging to make sure the water in the Kanawha Valley is the cleanest and safest in America.