STATEMENT BY SENATOR JEFFORDS

NOMINATION HEARING FOR

JOHN PETER SUAREZ

MAY 7, 2002

Good morning. I’d like to welcome Mr. John Peter Suarez, President Bush’s nominee to be the Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance for the Environmental Protection Agency.

I would like to let everyone know how we will proceed this morning, then I will recognize Senator Smith for an opening statement and Senator Corzine, who would like to introduce Mr. Suarez.

Before you begin your statement, if you would please introduce any family members with you today. Then you may summarize your statement, if you would like. Your full statement will be included in the record.

We will then proceed to questions. After all members have had a chance to ask questions, I will conclude the hearing by asking you 2 obligatory questions.

For those Committee members who are unable to be here today or have additional questions, we will forward those questions to you. When the Committee receives all of the responses, we will act on your nomination.

Mr. Suarez, I am concerned that your legal experience has not dealt with our environmental laws. The responsibilities of the position you have been nominated to fill is a very important one. Our environmental laws can be rendered meaningless without adequate enforcement.

While there is some transferability between your criminal enforcement experience and environmental enforcement, the statutes governing environmental protection are complex and often require extensive knowledge of the underlying case law.

With this reservation in mind, I look forward to hearing from you this morning.