9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act

9/11 RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTATION ACT -- (House of Representatives - October 08, 2004)

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Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, there are all sorts of problems along the United States-Mexican border, but to take a sensitive area that, as my friend, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), has pointed out, where there are serious issues relating to native Americans. We are working on areas here, in terms of the massive amount of fill that would be involved, twice the size of the Hoover Dam, is something that people need to take a pause, a deep breath, and take a careful look. There is a lot of environmental damage that can be done.

We cannot keep people, illegal aliens, from crossing the border. It is porous, we know it. To move forward with this massive project now, suspending environmental regulations, extends a precedent that I think is chilling.

Our Capitol is a monument to our inability to get things right in terms of things that all of us know are not going to retard terrorists but make our Capitol into sort of a fortress. We are spending money, trying to make people feel good. Suspending environmental regulations in a way that is not going to have any long-term impact. I urge its rejection.