The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record began publication in 1873. Debates for sessions prior to 1873 are recorded in The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States (1789-1824), the Register of Debates in Congress (1824-1837), and the Congressional Globe (1833-1873)

The report begins with an overview outlining the Agency1s major priorities. These priorities, such as responding to risk, encouraging public involvement, and preventing future environmental problems are emphasized throughout the report. The overview is followed by chapters on Air, Water, Land, and Toxics. Each chapter is divided into sections that focus on the most important environmental issues. This report is largely an update of 3Environmental Progress and Challenges: An EPA Perspective2 (1984). From 1984 to 1988 EPA created new programs such as wetlands and marine and estuarine protection.