Senator Lautenberg. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for 

 the nice words of welcome. 



I want to thank my colleague, Bill Hughes, who is not only a dis- 

 tinguished colleague, but a good friend, for his leadership in this 

 area and for deferring these few minutes so I can make the trek 

 back to the other side. 



I am also delighted to see another colleague from New Jersey, 

 Jim Saxton. That must tell you something about our determination 

 to help get this bill enacted. It is because we are proud of New Jer- 

 sey's coastal monitoring program and the cleanliness of our coastal 

 waters. We think that this bill ought to pass. 



I was interested in Representative Schenk's comments because 

 she does come from a beautiful part of the country. Having an 

 awareness of the pollutants in those waters can help get them 

 cleaned up. Unfortunately, some States do not regard beach water 

 quality as a public health problem. And as our colleague from 

 Delaware, the former governor, pointed out, little States like ours 

 have enormous amounts of coastline associated with very small 

 land mass. 



So, Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to testify here today in support 

 of H.R. 31, the Beach Testing Bill. That bill is critical to protecting 

 the health of millions who visit our coastal beaches every year. 



My colleague, as you noted. Senator Bradley, could not be here 

 but he has joined me in introducing the Senate companion bill as 

 well as both of the Senators from California, Senator Boxer and 

 Senator Feinstein, as cosponsors. 



Once again, I commend the dean of the New Jersey delegation. 

 Congressman Bill Hughes for his leadership in this area, as well as 

 so many others. His initiative and his determination is to protect 

 the health of the Nation's bathers. 



Mr. Chairman, in enacting the Clean Water Act in 1972, Con- 

 gress established a basic goal for the Nation: To make our waters 

 fishable and swimmable. And while water quality has improved 

 markedly since the enactment, we cannot accurately assess our 

 progress toward making waters swimmable because States do not 

 regularly test beach waters to determine whether or not they are 

 truly safe for swimming. 



Today throughout our Nation, families are splashing in the 

 waves and they believe that they are engaging in a safe activity, 

 giving them nothing but joy and recreation. But if the water they 

 are swimming in is instead giving them a bath of the bacteria that 

 can make them sick, they don't even know that and they are enti- 

 tled to know that. Here is a case where ignorance is not bliss. Igno- 

 rance is risky. 



All of those enjoying the ocean this summer ought to have the 

 confidence that they know what they are getting into, that they 

 know what the quality of the water is and the risk of swimming in 

 those waters. 



Frankly, I think this is the just right kind of a pebble in a shoe, 

 because if States are forced to post these alerts to poor quality con- 

 tamination of water, perhaps it will encourage us all to do more 

 about cleaning up the water. But letting people just jump into the 

 water without having any idea what kind of risks they are posing, I 

 think is unfair to those who like to enjoy the swim. 



