[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 138 (Wednesday, September 28, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


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

 
                          SUPERFUND REFORM ACT

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, the Finance Committee has just completed 
markup of title 9 of the Superfund Reform Act. As a result, we are now 
in a position to reform Superfund this year.
  The Superfund Program was created for all the right reasons, but the 
program is a mess. We've all seen examples back in our States. Local 
communities don't have a fair say in decisions. Cleanups are costly and 
slow. And Superfund generates huge, endless lawsuits that would make 
the lawyers in Charles Dickens' ``Bleakhouse'' blush with envy.
  The Superfund Reform Act is designed to address these problems. The 
bill does several important things:
  It makes it easier for States to run the Superfund Program, and 
involves the people who live in the neighborhood where a Superfund site 
is located.
  It makes cleanups faster and cheaper.
  It reduces litigation, by reforming the liability system and 
establishing a settlement process for policyholders and insurance 
companies.
  Overall, the bill will reduce cleanup costs, reduce the time that 
cleanups take, and reduce transaction costs by 50 percent. That is why 
the bill is supported by an extraordinary coalition of community 
groups, business groups, and environmental groups. Everyone from the 
Chemical Manufacturers Association, to the National Association of 
Counties, to the NFIB, to the Sierra Club.
  Despite the broad support to reform Superfund, there are some who 
complain that we simply do not have enough time to act. I believe that, 
despite the nay-sayers, there is enough time to act.
  And it is important that we act this year. If we delay, not only 
would we be squandering the best opportunity to reform Superfund in 
years--we also would be putting many businesses in jeopardy.
  I received a letter from the National Federation of Independent 
Businesses, as did many of my colleagues. These small businesses--
600,000 in all--may have best expressed how important it is to reform 
Superfund this year:

       Small business owners * * * are facing liability today; 
     they may be facing bankruptcy tomorrow.

  I urge my colleagues to work together to pass the Superfund Reform 
Act this year.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The clerk will continue 
the call of the roll.
  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed and the 
quorum call be suspended for the purpose of going into morning 
business.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, reserving the right to object.
  Mr. President, I withdraw my objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the order for the quorum 
call is rescinded.
  The Senator is recognized as in morning business.

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