[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 129 (Sunday, October 10, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2004

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                               speech of

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 6, 2004

  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud passage of the 
Economic Development Administration Reauthorization Act of 2003, S. 
1134. This Authorization allows the Economic Development Administration 
to provide approximately $1.3 billion in economic development grants 
over the next 5 years.
  The Economic Development Administration provides support for 
redevelopment of brown-fields sites in otherwise underserved 
communities, like some I represent. For every acre of reused 
brownfields 4.5 acres of unused open space is preserved. Preserving 
this open space and redeveloping these sites is critical to the 
environment, public health, and economic stability of families in my 
community.
  I am pleased that during Senate consideration of S. 1134, the 
Assistant Secretary of Commerce David Sampson testified before the 
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that the EDA is ``not 
seeking to in any way relieve a responsible party from liability under 
CERCLA nor to provide funds to a party to undertake clean-ups required 
under CERCLA, since to do so would undercut the `Polluter Pays' 
principle on which CERCLA was founded.'' Taxpayers should not be 
saddled with the burden of paying to clean up pollution when polluters 
can be held accountable, and the limited grant funds available in this 
legislation should not be used to fund polluters.
  On October 5, 2004, I joined Ranking Democratic Member of the House 
Energy and Commerce Committee John Dingell in sending a letter to the 
Economic Development Administration requesting information on the 
brownfields cleanup program. To the limited extent EDA is involved in 
funding assessment or cleanup of brownfields sites, the intent of the 
EDA bill is that grant funds shall only be provided consistent with the 
``Polluter Pays'' principle. I intend to continue to follow the role of 
the EDA in brownfields, as successful brownfields redevelopment must be 
achieved without sacrificing environment and public health protections 
and without undermining the Polluter Pays principle.

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