[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 48 (Thursday, April 28, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESS- MENT IN THE 103D CONGRESS

  (Mr. ZIMMER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ZIMMER. Mr. Speaker, on February 2, this House voted down the 
rule for the bill elevating the EPA to cabinet status because it did 
not allow for debate on the so called Johnston-Mica amendment that 
would require cost-benefit analysis of all environmental regulations. 
That vote proves that Congress is ready to debate environmental risk 
assessment.
  In recent years, we have learned that the most dramatic and well 
publicized risks are not always the most dangerous to human health and 
the environment.
  A number of Members, including Mr. Klein and myself, have introduced 
a bill that would begin to establish a framework for making informed 
environmental decisions based on sound science instead of the knee-jerk 
emotional reactions that often govern our health and environmental 
policy. The Klein-Valentine-Zimmer bill is one important component of 
the legislation we need for our environmental decisionmaking to be more 
rational and cost effective.

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