Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank my good friend. the gentlewoman from California. for the time. Mr. Speaker. American taxpayers have invested billions in sewage treatment infrastructure. resulting in decades of progress in reducing waterborne illness from contaminated drinking water and beach closures and shellfish bed closures. Unfortunately. whenever there is an accidental breach in sewage treatment facilities. we see the repercussions of polluted water to human health. to our communities. and also to important industries such as tourism. That is why it is sound economic and environmental policy to invest in effective sewage treatment that ensures that the United States has a healthy and vibrant aquatic ecosystem and clean water. But the costs for these sewer systems is very expensive. In 2003. the MiamiDade Water and Sewer Department in my community evaluated its wastewater needs through the year 2020 and determined that in order to maintain adequate transmission systems capability. treatment. disposal and the prevention of sanitary sewer overflows that department alone would have to spend over $2 billion. The cause of many sanitary sewer overflow events is that the infrastructure is failing due to structural deterioration and corrosion. Federal funding. such as is provided in this legislation. could give an additional incentive to proactively identify the infrastructure requiring replacement -prior to failure. In 2000. Congress amended the Clean Water Act to add section 221. Section 221 authorized appropriations of $750 billion for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003 to the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants to States and municipalities for controlling combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer overflows. This authorization was conditioned upon the receipt of at least $1.3 billion in appropriations for the Clean Water. State Revolving Loan Funds. No funds were appropriated for sewer overflow grants in either fiscal year 2002 or 2003. This legislation that we bring to the floor today reauthorizes section 221 of the Clean Water Act which provides authority to help municipalities and States control combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer overflows. Grants provided by this bill will help keep our water safe and healthy and will also keep our ecosystem clean of wastewater. I know the majority party likes to pat themselves on the back for bringing another bill under a modified open rule. I wish to point out for the record that. once again. the majority does so only on bills that are clearly noncontroversial. � Lets take a close look at the bills that they previously allowed to be considered under an open rule. Both were clearly bipartisan bills. each of which was originally authorized by the Republican whip. Mr. BLUNT. One passed the House of Representatives unanimously. the other by voice vote.. I would say. Mr. Speaker. that if the majority really wants to live up to its campaign promise of more open process. they should provide open rules on bills that would be a bit more debatable. * Mr. Speaker. nonetheless. I strongly support the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time. Fl 1250