[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 42 (Monday, March 12, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E519-E520]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 720, WATER QUALITY FINANCING ACT OF 
                                  2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 9, 2007

  Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, today I rise to voice my pleasure and 
support of the passage of H.R. 720, the Water Quality Financing Act. I 
would also like to pay tribute to Chairman Oberstar for his efforts in 
reauthorizing this program for the first time in 13 years. Chairman 
Oberstar is a dear friend of mine and he has been one of my greatest 
partners in our efforts to clean the Nation's waters.
  Under President Bush's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2008 budget, the 
Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund is facing a $16 million cut. H.R. 
720, of which I am a proud cosponsor, would authorize $14 billion for 
the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund over the next 4 years, 
providing communities with the financial means to construct municipal 
wastewater treatment plants. In recent years, Michigan has seen over 
1,000 separate sewer overflows, totaling over 20 billion gallons of 
spilled sewage. Funding through the Clean Water State Revolving Load 
Fund is crucial to preventing further such disasters in Michigan.
  Since Congress passed the Clean Water Act, the Federal government has 
provided more than $82 billion for wastewater assistance which led to 
tremendous improvements in our wastewater infrastructure. However, this 
infrastructure is starting to deteriorate, leading to sewage and 
untreated waste flowing into our rivers and lakes and leaking onto our 
roads and even into our basements. It has been estimated by the EPA 
that each year, overflows from sewer systems discharge about 850 
billion gallons of wastewater and storm water containing untreated 
waste, toxic debris, and other pollutants into the environment.
  The Republican leadership allowed the Clean Water State Revolving 
Fund to expire in 1994 and has failed to reauthorize it because of 
their objection to the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage law. Furthermore, my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle have cut funding by 34 
percent. Unfortunately the Republican-controlled Congress has not been 
our only barrier; the Bush Administration has also repeatedly tried to 
obstruct clean water programs. In fact this week the White House issued 
a Statement of Administration policy conveying the President's 
opposition to H.R. 569 and H.R. 700, describing the bills as 
``excessive'' and ``unrealistic in the current fiscal environment'' 
respectively. We have watched these setbacks to our clean water 
programs for far too long. I urge the Senate to pass these bills and 
show this Administration that the Congress will not let our waters be 
neglected any longer.

[[Page E520]]



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