Alan Simpson: “While I would like to support this amendment, unfortunately, I can't. But, believe me, I understand and have learned…”

“While I would like to support this amendment, unfortunately, I can't. But, believe me, I understand and have learned from Ms. Kaptur and the members of the Great Lakes States when I was chairman of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. And now she sits on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee with me, and they have all come and talked to me about this problem. This, unfortunately, pits kind of one State against another, and what I am trying to do is find a solution to this, because I happen to agree with these individuals that it seems rather silly that we go out and ask for a report to be done and then can't seem to get it released--not only the final report, we can't even get a draft report released that will go out for comment. That doesn't make any sense to me. {time} 0020 But I know that there are Members who also have concerns about that, but that is, frankly, why you release a draft report, so that you can get the comments. During full committee consideration on the Energy and Water bill, we discussed a similar amendment that was offered by Ms. Kaptur, my ranking member, Mr. Joyce, and Mr. Moolenaar; and I committed to them at the time that I would work with all interested parties and Members to try to move these efforts forward, and I am happy to reiterate that commitment now.…”