[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 12 (Thursday, January 21, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            CLEAN WATER RULE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we are 3 weeks into the new year, and 
already we are back to wasting the Senate's time to launch partisan 
attacks. Today my Republican colleagues have chosen to once again 
attack clean water protections that millions of Americans depend on.
  On Tuesday President Obama vetoed the Republican attempt to roll back 
the clean water rule--a rule that basically restores important 
safeguards to shield our water sources from pollution and 
contamination. There are special interest groups who have tried to 
raise money based on this. Some of the groups who have tried to raise 
money on this with fallacious information are farm groups. They have 
gone out and said that this is terrible for agriculture. Agriculture is 
exempted, so anyone saying this is horrible for agriculture is simply 
wrong. Under the specific language of the legislation, agriculture is 
exempted.
  The clean water rule resolves years of confusion and provides 
regulatory certainty for businesses, farmers, local governments, and 
communities. It creates no new permitting requirements and maintains 
all previous exemptions and exclusions.
  Despite President Obama's veto, Republicans remain determined to 
undermine the environment. Safe water is critical to the health of our 
communities. One need go no further than Flint, MI, to find out that 
that is, in fact, the case. And it is important to our economy. At this 
very moment, as I have indicated, 100,000 people live in Flint, MI. All 
of those families--thousands of families--have been forced to worry 
about their children's health because of lead contamination in their 
drinking water. Their little brains are adversely affected by lead in 
the water. We have known that for a long time, but in an effort to save 
a buck, the Governor and others in Michigan decided they would try 
something else and in the process have really drastically damaged the 
lives of little boys and girls in Flint, MI.
  Our country is the wealthiest country in the world. No American 
should have to worry about whether they are drinking safe water in 
America. It is unconscionable to think that we would waste valuable 
time in the Senate attacking a rule dealing with clean water designed 
to keep our Nation's water safe. And while we are doing this--wasting 
time here in the Senate today--Flint, MI, is in a state of emergency.
  Republicans are so wedded to idealogical purity, they have lost touch 
with reality. They have somehow failed to recognize that clean water is 
a basic priority for all Americans. The reality is that the Federal 
funding and reasonable protections are necessary to ensure public 
health and safety.
  The Governor of the State of Michigan is an anti-government person. 
That is his mark. He especially wants Washington to stay out of 
Michigan's government. But what is the first thing he does when he 
finds out he and his whole government have messed up the State of 
Michigan? He calls Washington for help. He, along with many of my 
friends on the other side of the aisle, disparage the Federal 
Government every chance they get, but when a crisis strikes, whom do 
they call upon to help? The Federal Government.
  Rolling back clean water protections is the wrong thing to do, and 
Republicans should refocus their energy on solutions to keep America 
healthy and safe.

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