Ban on Diverting Water from the Great Lakes Nears House Approval
On Monday the House began debate on a bill that would ban nearly any diversion of water from the Great Lakes' natural basin to places outside of the region. The measure is intended to calm any fears that states or foreign countries hurting for water could tap into the large body of fresh water, in turn causing long-term damage to the basin.
The bill, known as the Great Lakes Compact, would also put in strict conservation rules for the eight states bordering the lakes. The measure is expected to win House approval, maybe even as soon as Tuesday. It has already been passed in the Senate, and President Bush has also signalled his support.
Many advocates throughout the Midwest and New York see House approval as a final piece in a complex puzzle, whose solution began to take shape a decade ago in an effort to give the region control over its own water supply. The fear had been that without comprehensive rules over who was entitled to the water, it could start to disappear.
Before the legislation made its way to Congress, each of the states bordering the Great Lakes had to individually approve the compact. Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin all agreed to the compact, although it took many years. The Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec have adopted a similar document as they too border on the lakes.
Together the Great Lakes account for 20 percent of the world's fresh surface water.
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MCCain/Obama Bipartisan co-operation on Great Lakes
This Bill resulted from bipartisan cooperation, Senators working together for America’s common good. Obama was a co-sponsor, McCain was not. Despite claiming "I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country going. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not", over the last two years McCain did little to advance his country's issues, sponsoring only TWO bi-partisan bills, on rail transportation and child pornography.
NEWSWEEK wrote "Given McCain's claim of two decades of "making change", his record of legislative achievement is surprisingly thin". The real issue is McCain's fraud regarding his big claims to have far greater experience and achievements than the reality of his Senate record supports, but which nobody seems to check on. Truth is, in 26 years as a Senator McCain has authored very few major laws
Obama, on the other hand, who is constantly being attacked and labelled by both McCain and Palin as an ineffective lightweight, sponsored TWENTY-FIVE bi-partisan bills during the same period, all on major national issues ranging from global poverty, climate stewardship, nuclear disarmamaent, government ethics, veterans issues, fair pay, fuel economy reform, law enforcement and education. Obama has authored around 50 major laws.
For the truth about both candidates' work on behalf of America, go to http://obama.senate.gov and http://mccain.senate.gov.
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