9 



things that should have gone through the authorizing committees, 

 but I think it is particularly egregious in this case. 



Ocean dumping is illegal. At a time when Congress is proposing 

 to cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by 

 21 percent and to significantly weaken many of our most important 

 environmental protections, it is particularly irresponsible, in my 

 opinion, and wrong to use taxpayers' money to fund experiments in 

 ocean dumping of any kind of waste. 



I do not want to take up your time because I know we are going 

 to deal with this in the fourth panel, and that is later today, Mr. 

 Chairman, but I am so concerned about it because of what is hap- 

 pening on the floor today and, of course, I am going to go over 

 there at some point today to make my point during the debate on 

 the conference report. Thank you. 



Mr. Weldon. I thank the gentlemen. 



Are there other members who would like to make opening state- 

 ments? Mr. Kennedy. 



STATEMENT OF HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY, A 

 REPRESENTATIVE FROM RHODE ISLAND 



Mr. Kennedy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



I first want to begin by commending you for your leadership on 

 this issue. I also want to commend Bill Andahazy from the profes- 

 sional staff here for his effort in bringing today's witnesses to tes- 

 tify. 



I would like to say that I look forward to working with you on 

 this panel and on the Natural Resources Committee, to which I 

 have just been appointed, to work on this to determine what the 

 size and extent of the problem is and all the circumstances with 

 which various forms of pollution can become really hazardous to 

 the environmental security that I think everyone on this coiAmittee 

 has an interest in, not only we in this country but countries all 

 over the world, given the fact that 70 percent of our world's surface 

 is ocean and we need to understand what we have done in the past 

 and what we continue to do and what its impact is on our environ- 

 ment. Thank you. 



Mr. Weldon. I thank my friend and colleague and would add 

 that we are committed to doing the second of the three hearings 

 on this topic in the area of the gentleman's district in cooperation 

 with the Woods Hole and I look forward to that field hearing, as 

 well. 



I would like to insert the opening statement of the gentleman 

 from New Jersey, Mr. Saxton, who, as I mentioned, is on the House 

 floor now and will be joining us later this afternoon. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Saxton follows:] 



