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POLLUTANTS THAT ARE DAMAGING
BABIES' DEVELOPING BRAINS.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT
THIS AMENDMENT.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES
THE GENTLELADY FROM CONNECTICUT
RISE?
THE GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED FOR
FIVE MINUTES.
MR. SPEAKER, I RISE
IN SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT.
WE SHOULD NOT BE PUTTING THE
INTERESTS OF POLLUTERS BEFORE
THE HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN.
NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE
DEMONSTRATED A LINK BETWEEN
INCREASED EXPOSURE TO INDUSTRIAL
TANLTS AND IMPAIRED BRAIN
DEVELOPMENT OR LEARNING
DISABILITIES IN CHILDREN.
FOR EXAMPLE, ACCORDING TO THE
CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL,
HEALTH EFFECTS LINKED TO
PRENATAL AND CHILDHOOD METHYL
MERCURY EXPOSURE INCLUDE
PROBLEMS WITH LANGUAGE, MEMORY,
ATTENTION, VISUAL SKILLS AND
LOWER I.Q.'S.
AND EXPOSURE TO MERCURY IS
PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS FOR
PREGNANT AND BREAST FEEDING
WOMEN.
AS WELL AS CHILDREN.
SINCE MERCURY IS MOST HARMFUL IN
THE EARLY STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.
IN SOME CASES AROUND THE WORLD,
SUCH AS IN JAPAN IN THE 1950'S,
WE HAVE SEEN EXPOSURE TO
INDUSTRIAL MERCURY SICKEN AN
ENTIRE GENERATION OF CHILDREN.
MOTHERS WHO EXHIBITED NO
CLINICAL SYMPTOMS OF MERCURY
POISON GAVE BIRTH TO INFANTS
SUFFERING FROM BLINDNESS AND
MENTAL RETARDATION.
YOU KNOW, WE TEND TO THINK OF AN
ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE LIKE
THAT COULD NOT HAPPEN HERE.
BUT IT COULD.
ALREADY IN THE UNITED STATES ONE
IN SIX WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE
HAVE BLOOD MERCURY LEVELS THAT
EXCEED THOSE CONSIDERED SAFE BY
THE E.P.A. FOR A DEVELOPING
BABY.
THIS AMOUNTS TO -- TO
630,000 BABIES
BORN EVERY YEAR AT RISK OF
DEVELOPAL PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF
PRENATAL MERCURY EXPOSURE.
WHILE AMERICA'S APPROXIMATELY
600 COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS ARE
THE SINGLE LARGEST SOURCE OF
MERCURY CONTAMINATION IN THE
UNITED STATES, BOILERS AND WASTE
INCINERATORS THAT BURN
MERCURY-CONTAINING PRODUCTS AND
CHLORINE MANUFACTURERS RANK
CLOSE BEHIND.
AND YET IT IS NOW PROPOSED THAT
WE DELAY, THAT WE WEAKEN THE
REGULATIONS PROTECTING INFANTS
AND CHILDREN AND ALLOW THESE
INCINERATORS AND BOILERS TO
CONTINUE SPEWING SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNTS OF MERCURY POLLUTION
INTO THE AIR EVERY YEAR.
HARMING THE HEALTH OF OUR
CHILDREN AND FUTURE GENERATIONS
OF OUR CHILDREN.
IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE.
AND MERCURY IS JUST ONE OF THE
DANGEROUS CONTAMINANTS PUTTING
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN AT
RISK.
EXPOSURE TO LEAD THREATENS THE
HEALTH OF YOUNG CHILDREN AND
UNBORN BABIES IN PARTICULAR, CAN
LEAD TO MISCARRIAGE, PRETERM
BIRTH, LOW BIRTH WEIGHT AND
DEVELOPAL DELAYS.
AND THAT IS WHY IT WAS BANNED
FROM GASOLINE AND HOUSE PAINT BY
THE E.P.A. IN THE 1980'S.
THESE CONTAMINANTS ARE DEADLY
WHICH IS WHY THE E.P.A., THE
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY,
PUT FORWARD A RULE TO REDUCE
THEM.
IN FACT, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE BOILER MACT WOULD REDUCE
MERCURY EMISSIONS FROM MAJOR
SOURCE BOILERS AND PROCESS
HEATERS NATIONWIDE BY 1.4 TONS A
YEAR.
IT WOULD ALSO CUT NONMERCURY
METALS, INCLUDING LEAD, BY 2,700
TONS PER YEAR, HYDROGEN CHLORIDE
BY 30,000 TONS PER YEAR,
PARTICULATE MATTER BY 47,000
TONS PER YEAR, VOLATILE ORGANIC
COMPOUNDS BY 7,000 TONS PER YEAR
AND SULFUR DIOXIDE BY 440,000
TONS PER YEAR.
ACCORDING TO THE E.P.A. THE
BENEFITS OF REDUCING ALL OF
THESE DANGEROUS EMISSIONS WOULD
OUTWEIGH COSTS BY AT LEAST $20
BILLION A YEAR.
ASIDE, THIS ACT
MEANS 2,500 TO 6,500 LESS
PREMATURE DEATHS, 1,600 FEWER
CASES OF CHRONIC BRONCHITIS,
4,000 LESS HEART ATTACKS, 4,300
FEWER HOSPITAL AND EMERGENCY
ROOM VISITS, 3,700 FEWER CASES
OF ACUTE BRONCHITIS, 41,000
CASES OF AGGRAVATED ASTHMA,
78,000 FEWER CASES OF
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND 310,000
FEWER MISSED WORK DAYS.
AND IT MEANS FEWER CASES OF
IMPAIRED BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND
CHILDREN.
LEARNING DISABILITIES IN OUR
SO ON ONE SIDE OF THE EQUATION
WE HAVE $20 BILLION IN SAVINGS
PER YEAR.
CLEANER AIR, THOUSANDS OF FEWER
DEATHS AND A HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT
OF OUR KIDS.
ON THE OTHER, WE HAVE POLLUTERS,
WE HAVE POLLUTERS WHO WANT TO
JUST KEEP HARMING THE HEALTH AND
THE LIVES OF AMERICANS.
I KNOW WHICH SIDE I'M ON AND I
FIND IT EXTRAORDINARILY TELLING
THAT THIS HOUSE MAJORITY WOULD
TAKE THE SIDE OF BIG POLLUTERS
OVER THE HEALTH AND THE WELFARE
OF AMERICA'S CHILDREN.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES, STAND UP
FOR AMERICA'S CHILDREN, STAND
AGAINST BIG POLLUTERS AND
SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT AND I
TIME.
YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES
THE GENTLELADY FROM FLORIDA
RISE?
TO STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLELADY IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I RISE IN SUPPORT OF THE WAXMAN
AMENDMENT AND IN OPPOSITION TO
THIS G.O.P. BILL.
MR. CHAIRMAN, ALL
AMERICANS SHOULD BE CONCERNED
WITH THE G.O.P. PURN TO ROLL
BACK -- PUSH TO ROLL BACK
AMERICA'S FUNDAMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AND
HEALTH PROTECTIONS.
THIS G.O.P. BILL STRIKES AT THE
HEART OF AMERICAN VALUES.
WE ARE NOT A SMOGGY, THIRD WORLD
COUNTRY.
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA AND OVER THE PAST
DECADE, SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE
CLEAN AIR ACT, BUSINESSES HAVE
FLOURISHED AND THE AIR AND WATER
HAVE GOTTEN CLEANER.
THESE ARE NOT MUTUALLY
EXCLUSIVE.
THAT'S WHY THIS G.O.P. BILL
TAKES A STEP BACKWARD, IT
FUNDAMENTALLY WEAKENS THE CLEAN
AIR ACT AND GRANTS UNNECESSARY
BREAKS TO TOXIC AIR POLLUTERS.
NOW, MR. WAXMAN'S AMENDMENT IS
VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT
TARGETS ONE OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS AND TOXIC NEUROTOXINS,
THAT IS MERCURY.
WE KNOW THAT BABIES BORN TO
WOMEN EXPOSED TO MERCURY DURING
PREGNANCY CAN SUFFER FROM A
RANGE OF DEVELOPAL AND
NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING
DELAYS IN SPEAKING AND
DIFFICULTIES LEARNING.
CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM THE
CHRONIC EFFECTS OF MERCURY
EXPOSURE MAY NEVER REACH THEIR
FULL POTENTIAL.
THIS CLEARLY HAS A PROFOUND
IMPACT ON THE AFFECTED CHILDREN
AND THEIR FAMILIES BUT IT ALSO
HAS A LONG-TERM SOCIETAL IMPACT.
AND YOU KNOW IT WAS IN 1990 WHEN
THE CONGRESS IN A BIPARTISAN
FASHION AMENDED THE CLEAN AIR
THE PARTICULAR,
THE SPECIFIC POLLUTERS COMING
FROM SPECIFIC SOURCES.
THESE SPECIFIC POLLUTERS, SOME
OF THEM CREATED JOBS, ACTED TO
BRING IN MODERN TECHNOLOGY, THE
SCRUBBERS, THEY TOOK THE MERCURY
OUT OF THE AIR, THERE ARE MANY
EXAMPLES IN MY HOME STATE OF
FLORIDA OF THESE MANUFACTURING
PLANTS AND UTILITIES THAT HAVE
TAKEN THE MERCURY OUT OF THE AIR
BY INSTALLING THE UP-TO-DATE
MODERN EQUIPMENT.
BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN VERY
RESISTANT TO THIS.
AND THEY NEED TO GET WITH THE
PROGRAM.
BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SINCE 1990
WHEN THE LAW HAS SAID IT'S TIME
TO CLEAN IT UP, NOW WHAT YEAR IS
THIS?
THIS IS 2011.
NOW, I WOULD OFFER THAT AFTER 20
YEARS THESE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN
ON NOTICE THAT THEY CAN USE THE
AMERICAN KNOW-HOW AND MODERN
PLANTS.
TECHNOLOGY TO CLEAN UP THEIR
JUST LIKE A LOT OF THEIR OTHER
HAVE DONE.
NOW, I'VE HEARD THE ARGUMENT
BUSINESS.
THAT, BOY, THIS IS BAD FOR
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, COMING FROM
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, CLEAN AIR
AND CLEAN WATER ARE GOOD FOR
BUSINESS.
OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY RELIES ON
CLEAN WATER AND CLEAN AIR AND
FOR THE PLANTS IN THE STATE OF
FLORIDA THAT HAVE CLEANED UP IT
HAS REALLY IMPROVED THE
COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY, THE
RECREATIONAL FISHING INDUSTRY,
BILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRIES IN MY
STATE.
IF THEY HAD NOT, IF THE CONGRESS
HAD NOT ACTED IN A BIPARTISAN
WAY DECADES AGO TO SAY, WE'RE
GOING TO CLEAN UP THE AIR AND
THE WATER, I DON'T THINK WE'D
HAVE AS MANY VISITORS COMING TO
MY BEAUTIFUL STATE FOR THEIR
VACATIONS AND FISHING.
AND FISHING IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY THAT
GOES OUT IN THE GULF OF MEXICO
AND THE KEYS AND THEY FISH AND
THEY BRING IT HOME TO EAT.
NOW, BECAUSE MERCURY IS NOT
CLEANED UP TO THE GREATEST
EXTENT THAT WE CAN CLEAN IT UP,
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH HAS ADVISED -- AND I'M
READING FROM THE FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION ADVISORY, THE
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
HAS ADVISED THE PUBLIC TO LIMIT
THEIR CONSUMPTION OF FISH FROM
HUNDREDS OF WATER BODIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE DUE TO
EXPOSURE.
UNACCEPTABLE RISK OF MERCURY
AS A RESULT, THESE WATER BODIES
HAVE LISTED AS IMPAIRED FOR
MERCURY.
THIS DOESN'T MEAN IT'S UNSAFE
BUT IT MEANS THAT YOU CAN'T GO
OVERBOARD.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE HAVE THE
TECHNOLOGY TO CONTINUE TO CLEAN
UP SO THAT PEOPLE CAN EAT ALL
THE GREAT FLORIDA SEAFOOD THAT
IS AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THERE'S NO REASON TO TAKE A
STEP BACKWARD.
OTHER BUSINESSES HAVE DONE
THIS.
THEY HAVE CLEANED UP.
SO EARLIER THIS YEAR AFTER A
DECADE OF ANALYSIS AND WORK BY
THE E.P.A. AND INTERACTION WITH
BUSINESSES AND OTHER STAKECALS
HOLDERS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
THE E.P.A. FINALIZED STANDARDS
TO CUT EMISSIONS OF MERCURY AND
OTHER TOXIC AIR POLLUTION FROM
THESE PARTICULAR POLLUTERS.
THEIR GOAL WAS TO FINALIZE, WAS
TO FINALLY PUT THESE RULES INTO
EFFECT THIS COMING APRIL.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'RING INTO
OPPOSITION OF THE MOST -- WE'RE
RUNNING INTO OPPOSITION OF THE
MOST ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL
CONGRESS IN THE HISTORY.
IT STATES THAT THE BILL DOES
NOT STOP E.P.A. TAKING ACTION
TO CLEAN UP TOXIC AIR POLLUTION
FROM THESE PARTICULAR SITES.
THE GENTLEMAN'S TIME
HAS EXPIRED.
AND OTHER TOXIC
POLLUTANTS WERE NOT GOING TO
PROCEED.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT
THE AMENDMENT.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE
DOES THE GENTLELADY FROM
WASHINGTON RISE?
TO
REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MRS. MCMORRIS RODGERS --
MY HOME IS HOME
TO PRIVATE LAND FOREST OWNERS.
WHETHER IT'S A FAMILY FARM OR
BUSINESS WHICH IS WEARHOWSER
WHICH IS ONE OF OUR LARGEST
BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS, WE
HAVE PUT OF MILL, PAPER MILL
AND A BIOMASS INDUSTRY.
WHAT DO THESE ALL HAVE IN
COMMON, THEY ALL PROVIDE TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS, GOOD,
FAMILY WAGED JOBS TO THE FOLKS
IN THE REGION AND THEY ARE PART
OF THE FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY
WHICH HAS BEEN THE CORNERSTONE
OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON'S
ECONOMY.
YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T PASS THIS
UNDERLYING BILL UNAMENDED THEY
WILL ALL SHED THE THOUSANDS OF
JOBS IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON.
HOW MANY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
WELL, A RECENT STUDY SHOWED
THAT 18% OF THOSE JOBS WOULD BE
LOST.
THOSE WHO PRODUCE PULP AND
PAPER WOULD BE LAID OFF BY THIS
ONEROUS BOILER MACT RULE AS
WRITTEN.
THOSE ARE BLUE-COLLAR FAMILIES.
THOSE ARE FAMILY WAGE JOBS.
THOSE JOBS WILL BE AT RISK IF
WE DO NOT PROTECT THE JOBS.
THE RIPPLE EFFECT IN OUR REGION
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY WOULD BE
AN ADDITIONAL 87,000 JOBS LOST
BILL.
IF WE DO NOT ACT AND PASS THIS
IN A PLACE LIKE MY DISTRICT,
ONE OUT OF EVERY 10 MOMS AND
DADS ARE OUT OF WORK, THE
AFFECT OF THIS RULE, IF WE
DON'T FIX IT AND WE DON'T FIX
IT SOON, WOULD FURTHER
DEVASTATE AN ALREADY DEVASTATED
ECONOMY.
IN AUGUST, 89,000 JOBS WERE
CREATED.
THEY WERE ADDED NATIONWIDE.
SO BASICALLY IF WE DON'T MOVE
NOW WE'RE GOING TO WIPE OUT THE
ENTIRE MONTH OF AUGUST'S
GROWTH.
THAT'S GOING TO PUT OUR ECONOMY
BACKWARDS, NOT FORWARD, AND
MAKE NO MISTAKE, MR. SPEAKER,
THAT'S ONE THING THE CURRENT
MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE IS ABOUT
IS CREATING JOBS FOR THE MEN
AND WOMEN AT HOME SO THEY CAN
MAKE SURE THEY HAVE JOBS FOR
THEIR KIDS.
IT'S THE AMERICAN DREAM.
LET'S PASS THIS BIPARTISAN
PIECE OF LEGISLATION TODAY
WITHOUT THIS AMENDMENT.
IT WON'T ADD TO THE DEFICIT AND
THE GOING TO PRESERVE THOSE
JOBS FOR THOSE FOLKS STRUGGLING
IN MY HOME REGION IN SOUTHWEST
WASHINGTON AND ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
LET'S GIVE THE E.P.A. THE TIME
IT'S REQUESTED TO REWRITE THE
RULE IN A COMMONSENSE WAY.
YOU KNOW, THE GREAT THING ABOUT
THIS IS OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR
ECONOMY, THEY ARE NOT -- THEY
DON'T HAVE TO BE MUTUALLY
EXCLUSIVE WHICH IS WHY WE'RE
TAKING A BALANCED APPROACH TO
CHANGE THIS RULE.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S PART OF THE
REASON THE E.P.A. WANTS MORE
TIME TO REWRITE IT BECAUSE THEY
HAD THE FEEDBACK.
YES, WE CAN INNOVATE AND CREATE
AND REDUCE AND I SUPPORT
REDUCING WHATEVER TYPE OF
EMISSIONS WE'RE PRODUCING AS A
NATION.
WE NEED TO GO THERE BUT WE NEED
TO DO IT IN A COMMONSENSE WAY
THAT DOESN'T HANDICAP THE
A TIME WE NEED IT TO
GROW.
SO LET'S GIVE THE E.P.A. THE
TIME THEY REQUESTED SO THAT
FACILITIES LIKE LONGVIEW FIBER
AND LONGVIEW WASHINGTON WON'T
HAVE TO LAY ANY MORE PEOPLE
OFF.
WITH THIS LEGISLATION WE CAN
PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND
PROTECT AMERICAN JOBS.
SO WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER.
I YIELD BACK.
-- SO WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER, I
YIELD BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE
CALIFORNIA RISE?
DOES THE GENTLELADY FROM
MR. CHAIRMAN, I RISE IN
SUPPORT OF THE AMENDMENT.
THE GENTLELADY MOVES
TO STRIKE THE LAST WORD?
THE GENTLELADY IS
I DO.
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I RISE IN SUPPORT OF
THIS AMENDMENT.
I THINK IT'S A VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT ONE.
THE BILL NULLIFIES THE E.P.A.'S
RULES TO REQUIRE BOILERS AND
INCINERATORS TO REDUCE THEIR
EMISSIONS OF TOXIC MERCURY.
THAT'S REALLY QUITE A SENTENCE.
REQUIRES THE -- THE RULES
REQUIRE THAT BOILER AND
INCINERATORS TO REDUCE THEIR
EMISSIONS OF TOXIC MERCURY.
AND IN DOING SO THIS BILL
NULLIFIES THE MERCURY
REDUCTIONS IN OUR COUNTRY THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED AND IT
INDEFINITELY DELAYS, NOT JUST
FOR A GIVEN TIME FRAME, IT'S
INDEFINITE.
INDEFINITELY DELAYS THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY
REPLACEMENT STANDARDS THAT
E.P.A. ISSUES.
NOW, MY FRIEND, MR. WHITFIELD,
SAID EARLIER TODAY THAT THE
BILL DOESN'T PROVIDE -- DOES
NOT PROVIDE FOR AN INDEFINITE
DELAY OF ANY NEW RULES.
THAT'S FALSE.
IT'S FALSE.
THE BILL CLEARLY STATES THAT
FACILITIES HAVE AT LEAST FIVE
YEARS TO COMPLY WITHOUT ANY
HARD DEADLINE FOR COMPLIANCE.
THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF AN
INDEFINITE DELAY.
OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES ALSO
CLAIM THAT MERCURY POLLUTION
DIRTY BOILERS AND
INCINERATORS DO NOT HARM PUBLIC
HEALTH.
THAT'S QUITE A STAND.
THAT IS QUITE A STAND.
I THINK IT'S TERRORFYING,
MYSELF, IN A CIVILIZED SOCIETY
THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO
DAMAGE ANYONE AND THEIR HEALTH.
THEY BLAME CHINA EVEN THOUGH
THE U.S. FACILITIES ARE
EMITTING TOXIC MERCURY
POLLUTION FROM SMOKE STACKS
RIGHT HERE WITHIN OUR BORDERS.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS
SOME THAT DOES COME FROM CHINA.
ARE WE GOING TO REPLICATE
CHINA?
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE GOLD
STANDARD FOR OUR COUNTRY.
THE MERCURY RELEASED HERE AT
HOME IS JUST AS TOXIC AS
MERCURY RELEASED ANYWHERE.
THAT'S HOW TOXIC IT IS.
OURS IS NOT LESS TOXIC BECAUSE
IT'S U.S..
IT'S THE SAME HORRIBLE,
DANGEROUS STUFF.
AND HOW TOXIC IS IT?
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF
THINGS UNDER ATTACK HERE IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, BUT I
THINK ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS
ATTACKS IS THE ATTACK ON
SCIENCE.
WE'RE COMING UP WITH A LOT OF
POLITICAL SCIENCE FOR
UNDERLYING LEGISLATION.
LISTEN TO WHAT THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES HAVE SAID.
THEY STATED UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT
MERCURY IS A POWERFUL
NEUROTOXIN.
THE NATIONAL A ACADEMY OF --
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
SAYS THAT MERCURY IS HIGHLY
TOXIC.
THEY SAID, I QUOTE, THE
EXPOSURE OF MERCURY CAN RESULT
IN ADVERSE EFFECTS IN SEVERAL
ORGAN SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE
LIFE SPAN OF HUMANS AND
ANIMALS.
THERE IS EXPENSIVE DATA ON THE
EFFECTS OF DATA ON THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN IN
HUMANS.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF
SCIENCES HAS ALSO STATED THAT
EXPOSURE TO MERCURY CAN CAUSE
MENTAL RETARDATION, SHARE
BALANCE PALSY, DEAFNESS,
PALSY,
DEAFNESS, BLINDNESS -- CEREBRAL
PALSY, DEAFNESS, BLINDNESS.
THIS IS STUNNINGLY SHOCKING.
THIS IS NOT REPUBLICAN
POLLUTION, DEMOCRATIC
POLLUTION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL
HARM OUR PEOPLE.
WHY WOULD WE NOT PROTECT THEM?
WHY WOULD WE NOT PROTECT THEM?
AND THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF
SCIENCES HAVE SAID AGAIN, AND I
QUOTE, CHRONIC, LOW-DOSE
PRENATAL MERCURY EXPOSURE HAS
BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH IMPACTS ON
ATTENTION, FINE MOTOR FUNCTION,
LANGUAGE AND VERBAL MEMORY.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF
SCIENCES HAVE STATED THAT
PRENATAL MERCURY EXPOSURE COULD
CAUSE IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO
THE DEVELOPING CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM.
BUT OUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS SAY
WE SHOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT
MERCURY POLLUTION FROM BOILERS,
INCINERATORS, CEMENT KILNS AND
POWER PLANTS.
I KNOW WHO I TRUST, AND IT'S
NOT THE PHONY, BALONY POLITICAL
SCIENCE AROUND HERE.
I'LL PUT MY MONEY ANY DAY ON
WHAT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF
SCIENCE HAVE SAID.
THEY ARE THE GOLD STANDARD IN
OUR COUNTRY.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE
FOOLED AROUND WITH.
PEOPLE.
THIS IS A HUGE DANGER TO OUR
THIS AMENDMENT IS
STRAIGHTFORWARD.
IT STATES THAT THE BILL DOES
NOT STOP E.P.A. FROM TAKING
ACTION TO CLEAN UP TOXIC AIR
POLLUTION FROM AN INCINERATOR
OR A CHEMICAL PLANT OR A
MANUFACTURING PLANT WITH A
DIRTY BOILER.
IF THAT FACILITY IS EMITTING
MERCURY OR OTHER TOXIC
POLLUTANTS.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE
FOR THE AMENDMENT.
AND I YIELD BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE
DOES THE GENTLELADY FROM
MICHIGAN RISE?
MR. SPEAKER, I
MOVE TO STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLELADY IS
WE CERTAINLY
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
UNDERSTAND THAT OUR ECONOMY IS
AMERICANS CAN'T FIND A JOB.
STRUGGLING, THAT MILLIONS OF
TOO MANY FAMILIES ARE
STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ARE VERY FRUSTRATED THAT
WASHINGTON IS SIMPLY NOT DOING
ENOUGH TO GET OUR ECONOMY
MOVING.
AND I WOULD ARGUE NOT ONLY IS
WASHINGTON DOING ENOUGH TO GET
OUR ECONOMY MOVING BUT IT IS
ACTUALLY HARMING THE EFFORTS OF
AMERICAN INNOVATORS, OF
MANUFACTURERS, OF SMALL
BUSINESSES, OF THE JOB CREATORS
BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT
OVERREGULATION.
AND THE FACT IS TODAY THAT THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAS
PUBLICLY LISTED ALMOST 220 NEW
REGULATIONS JUST THIS YEAR
ALONE, THAT'S A 15% INCREASE IN
ONE YEAR ALONE OF NEW
REGULATORY ACTIONS UNDER
CONSIDERATION.
EACH ONE OF THEM IS ESTIMATED
TO COST AT LEAST $100 MILLION
EACH, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE.
MR. SPEAKER, THE BILL THAT'S
CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION
WOULD PROVIDE RELIEF FROM SOME
OF THE NEW E.P.A. REGULATIONS
THAT WOULD COST AMERICAN JOB
CREATORS MORE THAN $14 BILLION
AND THREATEN OVER 230,000 JOBS.
STATE OF MICHIGAN,
THIS GOVERNMENT OVERREGULATION
WOULD COST NEARLY $800 MILLION
AND PUT NEARLY 13,000 JOBS AT
RISK.
MR. SPEAKER, IN MY HOME STATE
OF MICHIGAN, WE ARE ON OUR
KNEES ECONOMICALLY, AND WE
CANNOT TOLERATE THIS ANYMORE.
IT HAS TO STOP.
I TALKED TO MANY FAMILIES,
MAJOR CORPORATIONS, ETC.
THE MESSAGE IS ALL THE SAME,
THAT GOVERNMENT OVERREGULATION
IS ABSOLUTELY KILLING THEIR
EFFORTS TO GROW AND TO CREATE
JOBS.
I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE.
THERE'S A COMPANY IN PORT
HURON, MICHIGAN, CALLED DONNAR
COMPANY.
PORT HURON HAS BEEN HIT
PARTICULARLY HARD.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS IN THE
20TH PERCENTILE, IF YOU CAN
IMAGINE THAT.
IT'S UNBELIEVE HOW BAD IT IS
THERE AT THIS TIME.
DOMCAR IS A PAPER COMPANY THAT
EMPLOYS 45 PEOPLE.
IT GENERATES $8 MILLION TO $12
MILLION IN REVENUE ANNUALLY.
THEY ESTIMATE -- I TALKED TO
THEM ABOUT THIS REGULATION
UNDER CONSIDERATION TODAY.
THEY ESTIMATE THAT THIS
REGULATION TODAY WOULD COST
THEM $9 MILLION TO SCRUB THE
COAL THAT THEY USE TO OPERATE
THEIR BOILERS AND WOULD COST $3
MILLION TO $4 MILLION TO
CONVERT TO NATURAL GAS AND HAVE
AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL COST OF $3
MILLION TO $4 MILLION A YEAR
JUST TO STAY COMPLIANT AND THEY
ESTIMATE THAT THESE COSTS WOULD
LIKELY FORCE THE COMPANY TO
SHUT DOWN TWO OF THEIR FOUR
PAPER MACHINES.
OF COURSE, FORCING A REDUCTION
IN JOBS, MR. SPEAKER.
THIS COMPANY, THIS COMMUNITY,
THIS NATION CANNOT HANDLE THAT
KIND OF LOSS IN ADDITIONAL JOBS
THAT THIS REGULATION WOULD
FORCE.
IT SEEMS TODAY THAT THE THREE
MOST FEARED LETTERS OF -- TO
AMERICAN JOB CREATORS, IT USED
TO BE I.R.S.
TODAY THOSE LETTERS ARE E.P.A.
IT'S NO LONGER THE I.R.S.
IT'S NOW THE E.P.A.
AND WHY IS THAT?
WELL, ON APRIL 30 OF 2010, THE
E.P.A. ISSUED A STATEMENT ON A
STUDY OF IMPACT.
IT WAS STUDYING THE IMPACT OF
ONE OF THOSE PROPOSED
REGULATIONS.
THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID -- THE
REGULATORY IMPACT DOES NOT HAVE
QUALITATIVE OR QUAN TATIVE
ESTIMATION OF THE POTENTIAL
EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED RULE ON
ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY, ECONOMIC
GROWTH, EMPLOYMENT, JOB
CREATION OR INTERNATIONAL
ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY DON'T CARE
WHAT THEIR REGULATIONS HAVE TO
DO WITH JOB CREATION MUCH LESS
STIFLING AND KILLING JOB
CREATION IN THIS COUNTRY.
THIS IS WHAT OUR OWN GOVERNMENT
IS DOING TO OUR JOB CREATORS.
AND THIS IS FROM AN
ADMINISTRATION WHO CLAIMS THAT
JOB CREATION IS ITS NUMBER ONE
PRIORITY.
ARE YOU KIDDING?
YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING.
WE HAVE TO STOP PUTTING ALL OF
THIS GOVERNMENT REGULATION ON
KILLING JOBS, AND CERTAINLY
HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN
TRYING TO LIFT THE BOOT OF BIG
GOVERNMENT OFF THE NECKS, OFF
THE THROATS OF JOB CREATORS AND
OF WORKERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR
.
A JOB.
WE HAVE HEARD REPEATEDLY FROM
IN NEEDING TO
INVEST IN TRANSPORTATION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE.
AT THE SAME TIME, THIS PRESIDENT
AND THIS ADMINISTRATION IS
TALKING ABOUT HOW INFRASTRUCTURE
IS SUCH AN ECONOMIC LIFE BLOOD
FOR OUR ECONOMY.
WHICH I AGREE WITH AND I THINK
HOUSE REPUBLICANS AGREE WITH.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE
PRESIDENT IS SAYING WE GOT TO
INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND
FIXING ROADS HIS ADMINISTRATION
IS MOVING FORWARD ON THIS
REGULATION THAT WE'RE TALKING
TODAY THAT WOULD PUT LARGE
SEGMENTS OF THE AMERICAN
CONCRETE, OF THE CEMENT PLANTS
BUSINESS.
IN THIS COUNTRY, OUT OF
AND I WOULD TELL THE PRESIDENT,
IT'S VERY HARD TO HAVE
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, TO
ANY CONCRETE.
BUILD ROADS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CEMENT.
I WOULD SAY, MR. SPEAKER, I
SPEAK AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT BUT
I SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE
UNDERLYING BILL AND I WOULD CALL
ON MY COLLEAGUES TO PASS THIS
BILL NOW.
PASS THIS BILL.
LET'S GET AMERICA MOVING AGAIN.
I YIELD BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES
THE GENTLELADY FROM
MASSACHUSETTS RISE?
MOVE TO STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLELADY IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I RISE IN SUPPORT
OF THE WAXMAN AMENDMENT.
TODAY WE ARE TAKING UP YET
ANOTHER BILL THAT CONTINUES THE
G.O.P. MAJORITY'S ONGOING ATTACK
ON PUBLIC HEALTH.
THIS BILL SEEKS TO GUT E.P.A.
RULES REQUIRING REDUCTIONS IN
EMISSIONS OF TOXIC AIR
POLLUTANTS, INCLUDING MERCURY,
FROM INDUSTRIAL BOILERS AND
INCINERATORS.
INDUSTRIAL BOILERS AND
INCINERATORS ARE AMONG THE
LARGEST SOURCES OF MERCURY
POLLUTION IN THE COUNTRY, A
POTENT BRAIN POISON THAT CAN
CAUSE SEVERE DEVELOPAL PROBLEMS
IN CHILDREN AND TODDLER --
DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS IN
CHILDREN AND TODDLERS.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, EVEN IN LOW
DOSES MERCURY CAN TRAGICALLY
AFFECT A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT,
DELAYING WALKING AND TALKING AND
CAUSING LEARNING DISABILITIES.
CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM THE
CHRONIC EFFECTS OF MERCURY
EXPOSURE MAY NEVER REACH THEIR
FULL POTENTIAL.
IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE THE
TECHNOLOGY TO ADDRESS IT.
THE WAXMAN AMENDMENT IS
STRAIGHTFORWARD, IT SAYS THAT
THE BILL CANNOT STOP THE E.P.A.
FROM TAKING ACTION TO CLEAN UP
TOXIC AIR POLLUTION FROM AN
INDUSTRIAL BOILER OR INCINERATOR
IF THAT FACILITY IS EMITTING
MERCURY OR OTHER TOXIC
POLLUTANTS THAT ARE DAMAGING TO
CHILDREN'S DEVELOPING BRAINS.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT
THIS COMMONSENSE AMENDMENT AND
STAND UP FOR HEALTH OF OUR
CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
THANK YOU AND YIELD BACK.
-- I YIELD BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES
THE GENTLELADY FROM THE ***
ISLANDS RISE?
MR. CHAIRMAN,
I RISE TO STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLELADY IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIRMAN.
AS A PHYSICIAN AND A MOTHER AND
A PERSON OF THE RACIAL MINORITY
I RISE IN OPPOSITION TO 2250, AS
WELL AS 2861, WHICH JUST PASSED
AND IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE
WAXMAN AMENDMENT WHICH I URGE
EVERY COLLEAGUE TO SUPPORT.
BOTH BILLS, H.R. 2861 AND H.R.
2250, ESSENTIALLY WIPE OUT
E.P.A.'S REGULATIONS, FIRST OF
CEMENT KILNS, NOW INDUSTRIAL
BOIMERS AND INCINERATORS, AND IT
WOULD HAVE SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC
HEALTH IMPACTS BECAUSE IT WOULD
ALLOW HIGH EMISSIONS OF
DANGEROUS POLLUTION THAT --
POLLUTANTS THAT WOULD CAUSE MORE
AS MARKS HEART ATTACKS, BIRTH
DEFECTS, IMPAIRED BRAIN
DEVELOPMENT WHICH I'LL COME BACK
TO AND OTHER ILLNESSES AT A TIME
WHEN WE'RE WORKING TO IMPROVE
THE HEALTH OF ALL AMERICANS,
REDUCE HEALTH CARE COSTS AND
REMAIN COMPETITIVE.
WE'RE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO
ALL E.P.A. IS ASKING THESE
ENTITIES TO DO IS TO MEET THE
BEST EXISTING STANDARDS IN THE
INDUSTRY, EXISTING STANDARDS.
STANDARDS THAT THEY'VE HAD YEARS
TO MEET.
MR. CHAIRMAN AND COLLEAGUES,
ALLOWING THESE REGULATIONS TO GO
FORWARD IS CRITICAL BECAUSE
THESE ENTITIES EMIT LEAD,
ARSENIC, PARTICULATE MATTER AND
OTHER TOXIC SUBSTANCES,
ESPECIALLY MERCURY.
MAJORITY,
THE PROPONENTS OF THIS BILL,
HAVE THEIR WAY, WE WILL SEE MORE
THAN 15,000 MORE CASES OFING A
CAN RAVATED ASTHMA, OVER 1,500
MORE HEART ATTACKS, OVER 600
EVERY YEAR.
MORE CASES OF CHRONIC BRONCHITIS
AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE OVER 100,000
ADDITIONAL MISSED WORKING DAYS
WHICH MEANS LOST PRODUCTIVITY,
ALL OF THE TIME WHEN WE'RE
TRYING TO IMPROVE HEALTH OF ALL
AMERICANS, AS I SAID, AND
IMPROVE AMERICAN
COMPETITIVENESS.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY THE LARGE
BOILERS AND INCINERATORS ARE THE
SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF MERCURY
WHICH AS YOU'VE HEARD IS A GRAVE
RISK TO OUR CHILDREN, BOTH
BEFORE AND AFTER BIRTH.
ESPECIALLY ON THEIR BRAIN
DEVELOPMENT.
WHICH MAKES THESE BILLS
ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS FOR THE
PUBLIC HEALTH AND CAN DAMAGE THE
LEARNING AND THUS THE SOCIAL AND
CHILDREN.
ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF OUR
AND MERCURY STAYS IN THE
ENVIRONMENT FOR A LONG TIME.
AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN, I HAVE
TO BE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED
THAN 60% OF POLLUTING
INDUSTRIES LOCATED IN OR NEAR
MINORITY COMMUNITIES.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THE LEARNING
AND OTHER POUR THATLOGICAL
DEFICIENCIES CAUSED BY MERCURY
WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES.
THIS NOT TO OUGHT ONLY CONCERN
AFRICAN-AMERICANS, LATINOS AND
INDIANS WHOSE CHILDREN WOULD BE
MORE LIKELY TO BE IMPAIRED, IT
SHOULD BE A CONCERN TO ALL OF
US.
ALL THE TIME SPENT ON THIS BILL
AND THE OTHER BILL THAT WAS JUST
PASSED THAT THE HOUSE MAJORITY
LEADERSHIP KNOWS ARE GOING
NOWHERE IS A PURE WASTE OF TIME,
ALSO A WASTE OF MONEY.
I GUESS IT'S NOT IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT'S BEING USED TO TRY
TO KILL PROGRAMS THEY'VE NEVER
LIKED AND ALSO THEY PROBABLY
THINK IT COULD HURT PRESIDENT
OBAMA IF IT DOESN'T PASS AND IT
ALSO PROTECTS THE BILL
CORPORATIONS.
BEYOND THAT IT CREATES NO JOBS.
IT JUST CREATES THE POTENTIAL TO
CAUSE MORE SICKNESS AND
PREMATURE DEATH, TO DAMAGE THE
POTENTIAL OF OUR CHILDREN AND
THEREFORE DAMAGE OUR COUNTRY'S
AS WELL.
THE CLAIMS OF LOST JOBS I
BELIEVE ARE HIGHLY EXAGGERATING.
BRINGING AND PUSHING THESE
EXTREMELY MISGUIDED AND
DANGEROUS BILLS SAYS THAT THE
PROPONENTS ARE WILLING TO PUT
OUR COUNTRY AND THE FUTURE OF
THEIR AND OUR CONSTITUENTS,
THEIR AND OUR CHILDREN AT RISK.
I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE FOR
THIS AMENDMENT.
THIS AMENDMENT THAT PROTECTS THE
PUBLIC HEALTH WILL SAVE OUR
CHILDREN FROM A LIFE THAT WOULD
NOT BE WHAT WE WOULD WANT FOR
THEM, ONE IN WHICH THEY MIGHT
NOT BE ABLE TO ENJOY ALL OF THE
BENEFITS OF THIS COUNTRY, OR
FULLY REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL OR
THE AMERICAN DREAM.
REJECT -- PLEASE -- SUPPORT THIS
AMENDMENT, REJECT THE UNDERLYING
BILL AND ALL OF THE BILLS THAT
ATTEMPT TO WEAKEN THE E.P.A.
VOTE INSTEAD FOR OUR CHILDREN,
COUNTRY.
OUR GRANDCHILDREN AND THIS
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES
RISE?
THE GENTLEMAN FROM KENTUCKY
TRIKE THE --
STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED.
A NUMBER OF
SPEAKERS ON THE OTHER SIDE HAVE
INDICATED THAT IF OUR
LEGISLATION PASSES NEW
REGULATIONS RELATING TO BOILER
INDEFINITELY.
MACT WOULD BE PUT OFF
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY AND
POINT OUT THAT IN SECTION 3, ON
PAGE 6 OF THIS BILL, IT SAYS,
FOR EACH REGULATION PROMULGATED
PURSUANT TO THIS LEGISLATION,
THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
SHALL, NOT MAY, SHALL ESTABLISH
A GATE FOR COMPLIANCE.
SO THIS IS NOT BEING PUT OFF
INDEFINITELY.
IT EXPLICITLY SAYS SHALL.
NOW, DURING THE HEARINGS THAT
WE'VE HAD, EXTENSIVE HEARINGS ON
THIS BOILER MACT THAT WAS
ADOPTED BY E.P.A. IN 2004, WHICH
WAS INVALIDATED BY THE COURTS
OF LAWSUITS FILED BY
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, A TYPICAL
TESTIMONY WAS THIS, THE E.P.A.
FILE RULES IMPOSE UNREALISTIC
AND VERY COSTLY REQUIREMENTS
THAT E.P.A. HAS NOT JUSTIFIED BY
CORRESPONDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND
HEALTH PROTECTION FROM REDUCTION
OF HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS.
AND AS JUST A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE
OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, MANY
UNIVERSITIES IN ORDER TO COMPLY
WITH THAT 2004 RULE SPENT LARGE
SUMS OF MONEY, THE UNIVERSITY OF
NOTRE DAME SPENT $20 MILLION TO
COMPLY WITH THAT RULE, WHICH HAS
NOW BEEN INVALIDATED AND E.P.A.
HAS COME OUT WITH AN EVEN MORE
STRINGENT RULE THAT'S GOING TO
COST A LOT MORE MONEY TO BE
SPENT.
WE GENUINELY BELIEVE THAT
E.P.A. HAS THE HEALTH STANDARDS
IN EFFECT THAT CAN PROTECT OUR
CHILDREN.
THERE'S NOTHING IN IN BILL
THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE ANY OF
THAT.
BUT WE KNOW THAT IF THESE
UNIVERSITIES CONTINUE TO SPEND
THAT KIND OF MONEY ON
REGULATIONS THAT ARE INVALIDATED
AND THEN HAVE TO COME BASEBALL
AND SPEND MORE MONEY -- BACK AND
SPEND MORE MONEY, TUITION COSTS
ARE GOING TO GO UP.
WHICH MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT
FOR SOME CHILDREN TO GO TO
COLLEGE.
SO THIS SIMPLY IS A COMMONSENSE
APPROACH, A BALANCED APPROACH
THING, E.P.A., GO BACK, REVISIT
THIS ISSUE, 15 MONTHS, COME OUT
WITH A NEW REGULATION AND THE
E.P.A. ADMINISTRATOR SHALL SET A
COMPLIANCE DATE, NOT SOONER THAN
FIVE YEARS AFTER THE FINAL RULE,
BUT WE'VE ALSO HEARD A LOT OF
DISCUSSION TODAY ABOUT MERCURY.
AND, YES, WE'RE ALL CONCERNED
ABOUT MERCURY.
BUT E.P.A. ITSELF IN DEVELOPING
THE BENEFITS OF THEIR REGULATION
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO POSTPONE
DID NOT ASSIGN ONE DOLLAR, ONE
DIME OR ONE PENNY OF BENEFIT FOR
THE REDUCTION OF MERCURY.
-- MERCURY EMISSIONS.
AND THE REASON THEY DIDN'T,
BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH
REDUCTION, BECAUSE IT DOCTOR
WE'VE ALREADY CLEEND UP THE AIR
A GREAT DEAL RELATING TO
MERCURY.
ALL OF THE BENEFITS THAT THEY
CALCULATED FROM THEIR RULE CAME
FROM REDUCTION OF PARTICULATE
MATTER.
AND IN FACT THEY SAID THE
MERCURY REDUCTIONS WOULD BE LESS
THAN 3/100 OF 1% OF GLOBAL
EMISSIONS.
AND WE'VE HEARD ALL SORTS OF
TESTIMONY ABOUT MERCURY THAT 90%
OR SO OF MERCURY COMES FROM
NATURE OR FROM SOURCES OUTSIDE
U.S.
SO, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BE
ALARMIST ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS SIMPLY AN APPROACH TO,
HEY, OUR ECONOMY'S PRETTY WEAK
RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF JOBS.
WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY CREATING
JOBS.
SO, LOOK, LET'S JUST GO BACK,
LOOK AT THIS 15 MONTHS, COME
BACK WITH A NEW REGULATION, SET
A DATE FOR COMPLIANCE AND LET'S
MOVE FORWARD.
I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE CAN
MAKE A CREDIBLE, VERIFIABLE
ARGUMENT THAT WE'RE OUT TO
DESTROY EVERY YOUNG PERSON IN
AMERICA.
EVERY CHILD IN AMERICA.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE A
LOT OF DEMOCRATS ON THIS BILL.
THERE'S BEEN A SIMILAR BILL
INTRODUCED TO THIS ON THE SENATE
SIDE WITH DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT.
SO I WOULD URGE ALL THE MEMBERS
TO DEFEAT THE MARKEY -- I MEAN,
THE WAXMAN AMENDMENT AND SUPPORT
UNDERLYING LEGISLATION,
2250, AND YIELD BACK THE BALANCE
OF MY TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM MARYLAND
RISE?
MR. CHAIRMAN, I
MOVE TO STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLELADY IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIRMAN.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GOING TO SPEAK
ABOUT MERCURY AND I'LL GET TO
THAT, BUT I REALLY HAVE TO
CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD AND THE
PUBLIC RECORD, WE KEEP HEARING
AND WE'VE HEARD ONCE AGAIN ON
THIS FLOOR FROM OUR REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES THAT THE BILL WON'T
HARM PUBLIC HEALTH.
OR WEAKEN HEALTH STANDARDS.
AND THIS IS JUST NOT ACCURATE.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, MR.
CHAIRMAN, FOR THE PUBLIC TO
UNDERSTAND THAT.
IN FACT, SECTION 2 OF THE BILL
LISTS FOUR FINAL CLEAN AIR RULES
AND SAYS THEY SHALL HAVE, AND I
QUOTE, NO FORCE OR EFFECT.
SECTION 3 OF THE BILL ELIMINATES
THE THREE-YEAR COMPLIANCE
DEADLINE IN THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
AND DOESN'T SET ANY NEW
DEADLINE.
AND FOR THE RECORD SECTION 5 OF
THE BILL DIRECTS E.P.A. TO SET
WEAKER STANDARDS THAN THE CLEAN
AIR REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO MAKE NO MISTAKE, H.R.
2250, CONTRARY TO WHAT THE OTHER
SIDE IS SAYING, HAS REAL LEGAL
EFFECT AND CONSEQUENCE AND THOSE
EFFECTS WEAKEN OUR PROTECTIONS
FROM AIR POLLUTION AND HARM THE
HEALTH OF AMERICANS, ESPECIALLY
OUR CHILDREN.
NOW, I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A
ZEAL FOR DEREGULATION.
BUT FOR CLEAN AIR STANDARDS, FOR
CLEAN WATER STANDARDS, THIS
REALLY MAKES NO SENSE.
IN FACT, THE BILL THROWS OUT
E.P.A.'S RULES TO REQUIRE
BOILERS AND INCINERATORS TO
REDUCE THEIR EMISSIONS OF TOXIC
MERCURY.
AND UNLIKE THE STATEMENTS THAT
HAVE BEEN MADE ON THIS FLOOR
THIS COMES IN THE WAKE OF A BILL
TO NULLIFY E.P.A.'S RULES TO
CLEAN UP CEMENT KILNS AND YET
ANOTHER BILL TO NULLIFY E.P.A.'S
RULES TO CLEAN UP POWER PLANTS.
WHEN DOES IT STOP?
WHEN DOES THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE
ACTIONS BECOME IMPORTANT TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE?
INSTEAD OF JUST THIS MOVE TO
DEREGULATION?
JUST THIS LAST MONTH THE
REPUBLICANS HAVE PUSHED
LEGISLATION TO LET THE NATION'S
LARGEST SOURCE OF TOXIC MERCURY
POLLUTION OFF THE HOOK FOR
CLEANING UP THEIR EMISSIONS.
JEOPARDIZING PUBLIC HEALTH AND
FOR WHAT?
NOW I'VE HEARD THAT WE SHOULDN'T
HAVE SO MUCH CONCERN ABOUT
MERCURY BUT SOMEBODY IN THIS
HOUSE, SOMEBODY IN THIS CONGRESS
HAS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
PUBLIC HEALTH CONSEQUENCES TO
OUR CHILDREN OF TOXIC MERCURY
EMISSIONS.
STUDIES FROM THE AMERICAN
FOREST AND PAPER COMMISSION AND
THESE ARE NOTHING MORE THAN
INDUSTRY STUDIES THAT SEEK TO
ABSOLVE THE INDUSTRY FROM
CLEANING UP ITS OWN MESS.
THEY'VE BEEN REFUTED BY ACTUAL
SCIENTISTS, AND I SUGGEST ON
THIS FLOOR WE ACTUALLY PAY
ATTENTION TO SCIENCE AND FACTS
AND NOT JUST A MOVE TO
DEREGULATE BECAUSE WE'RE
INTERESTED IN DOING INDUSTRY A
FAVOR IN EXPENSE OF PUBLIC
HEALTH.
AND WE KNOW THAT CONTRARY TO
WHAT'S BEEN SAID THE PUBLIC
HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF MERCURY
ARE CLEAR.
THEY'RE STATED, THEY'RE FACTS,
THEY'RE SCIENCE.
SO LET'S NOT UNDERCUT THAT.
MERCURY IS A POWERFUL
NEUROTOXIN.
IT HARMS THE BRAINS OF INFANTS.
IT LEADS TO LEARNING
DISABILITIES.
IT CAUSES ATTENTION DEFICITS
AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND
WHOLE RANGE OF OTHER PROBLEMS.
AND SO THE REPUBLICANS CANNOT
BE ALLOWED, MR. CHAIRMAN, TO
PICK AND CHOOSE THEIR FAX AND
THEIR SCIENCE.
THE FACTS AND THE SCIENCE ARE
AS THEY ARE, AND WE SHOULD NOT
BE NULLIFYING E.P.A.'S RULES
THAT PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND WITH THAT I'D YIELD AND
URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT
THIS AMENDMENT.
THE GENTLEWOMAN
YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HER
TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA
RISE?
I MOVE TO STRIKE THE LAST
WORD.
THE GENTLELADY IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I RISE IN SUPPORT OF THIS
AND, BY THE WAY, I
BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE ALARMISTS.
AND I AM AN ALARMIST.
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I'M A
MOTHER.
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I'M A
GRANDMOTHER.
AND MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I
REPRESENT LOS ANGELES WHICH HAS
SOME OF THE WORST AIR IN THIS
COUNTRY.
JUST LAST YEAR IN CALIFORNIA WE
HAD 2,400 DEATHS BECAUSE OF
CARGO RELATED POLLUTION.
WE'RE PAYING FOR THE COSTS OF
PEOPLE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY
GETTING GOODS ON TIME IN THEIR
LOCAL STORES.
BECAUSE OF CARGO-RELATED
POLLUTION, THERE IS ABOUT
350,000 DAYS OF LOST SCHOOL.
COUNTRY.
THAT IS A REAL PROBLEM FOR THIS
CHILDREN.
POLLUTION DOES IMPACT OUR
POLLUTION DOES IMPACT THEIR
LIVES.
WE KNOW THERE IS A MILLION DAYS
OF LOST WORK, LOST PRODUCTIVITY
OF
POLLUTION-RELATED ILLNESSES IN
THE WORKPLACE.
AND I AM FOR THIS AMENDMENT
BECAUSE THE UNDERLYING BILL
NULLIFIES E.P.A.'S RULES TO
REQUIRE BOILER AND INCINERATORS
TO REDUCE THEIR EMISSIONS OF
TOXIC MERCURY, AND THIS COMES
IN THE WAKE OF A BILL TO
NULLIFY E.P.A.'S RULES TO CLEAN
UP CEMENT KILNS AND ANOTHER
BILL TO NULLIFY E.P.A.'S RULES
TO CLEAN UP POWER PLANTS.
JUST WITHIN THE LAST MONTH MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE
HAVE PUSHED LEGISLATION TO LET
THE NATION'S LARGEST SOURCES OF
TOXIC MERCURY POLLUTION OFF THE
HOOK FOR CLEANING UP THEIR
EMISSIONS.
AND THEY DEFEND THIS POLICY BY
POINTING TO THESE INDUSTRY
STUDIES ABOUT THE COST OF
COMPLYING WITH THESE RULES.
ONE STUDY THAT GETS CITED OVER
AND OVER IS A STUDY BY THE
COUNCIL OF INDUSTRIAL BOILER
CIBO.
THIS STUDY, BY THE WAY, HAS
BEEN COMPLETELY DISCREDITED.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE NONPARTISAN
CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
EXAMINED THIS STUDY AND
CONCLUDED, QUOTE, THE BASE OF
CIBO'S ANALYSIS IS FLAWED.
AS A RESULT, LITTLE CLAIMS CAN
BE PLACED IN CIBO'S ESTIMATE OF
JOB LOSSES.
THEY ALSO CITE A STUDY BY THE
AMERICAN FOREST AND PAPER
ASSOCIATION CONCLUDING THAT THE
BOILER RULES WILL COST JOBS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, DR. CHARLES
CULSTADT, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA-SANTA BARBARA,
REVIEWED THIS ANALYSIS AND
SAID, QUOTE, IF I WERE GRADING
THIS I WOULD GIVE IT AN F.
THE ECONOMICS IS ALL WRONG, DR.
CULSTADT DESCRIBES IT AS,
QUOTE, FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED,
AND HE SAID THAT AS A RESULT
THE JOBS ESTIMATE WERE
COMPLETELY INVALID.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, AN
INDEPENDENT PUBLIC HEALTH --
AND INDEPENDENT PUBLIC HEALTH
EXPERTS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE
PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT
MERCURY IS A POWERFUL
NEUROTOXIN THAT HARMS THE
DEVELOPING BRAINS OF INFANTS,
LEADING TO LEARNING
DISABILITIES, ATTENTION
DEFICITS, BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS
AND A RANGE OF OTHER PROBLEMS.
THIS AMENDMENT IS
STRAIGHTFORWARD.
IT STATES THAT THE BILL DOES
NOT STOP E.P.A. FROM TAKING
ACTION TO CLEAN UP TOXIC AIR
POLLUTION FROM AN INDUSTRIAL
BOILER OR INCINERATOR IF THAT
FACILITY IS EMITTING MERCURY OR
OTHER TOXIC POLLUTANTS THAT ARE
BRAINS.
DAMAGING BABIES' DEVELOPING
WHO CAN VOTE AGAINST THIS?
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT JOBS.
MY COLLEAGUE, MRS. MILLER,
EARLIER TALKS ABOUT JOBS AND
THE ECONOMY AND THE COSTS OF
WHAT
PRICE TO WE HAVE TO PAY FOR --
DO WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE NEXT
GENERATION'S HEALTH AND QUALITY
OF LIFE?
BY THE LAST TIME I CHECKED,
ADDING MORE POLLUTION INTO THE
AIR IS NOT A JOBS PLAN.
THE GENTLELADY
YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HER
TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA RISE?
STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. SPEAKER, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, I LISTENED TO THE
LADY WITH INTEREST AND, OF
COURSE, IT'S EASY TO SIT IN
WASHINGTON AND WHATEVER GROUP
YOU MAY BE WITH TO SAY, WELL,
THIS GROUP IS WRONG AND THAT
GROUP IS WRONG AND EVERYBODY
CAN TRY OUT THEIR EXPERTS, BUT,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE
C.R.S. DOESN'T OWN AND OPERATE
BOILERS.
BUSINESSES DO.
LOTS OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE
IMPACTED BY THIS.
BIG BUSINESSES, SMALL
BUSINESSES AND THE PEOPLE WHO
WORK FOR THEM.
LAST WEEK I
REFERENCED A LETTER TO THE
EDITOR OF THE VIRGINIAN LEADER
SENT IN BY MR. AND MRS. KENNY
IN WHICH THEY SAID, QUOTE, I AM
GOING TO BE BLUNT WITH THE
FOLLOWING OPINION.
AS FACTORY WORKER AND TAXPAYER
I'M GETTING SICK AND TIRED OF
THESE FEDERAL AGENCIES.
THEY HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO
EXCEPT SIT IN THEIR WASHINGTON
OFFICES AND KILL JOBS.
WHY DON'T THEY GET OFF THEIR
SORRY BEHIND AND SAVE WHAT JOBS
WE HAVE LEFT?
AND WHO IS PAYING THE E.P.A.
PEOPLE'S SALARY?
THE AMERICAN WORKERS.
WE ARE.
I BELIEVE IN PROTECTING THE
ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE CAN'T SHUT
THE WHOLE COUNTRY DOWN TO
ACHIEVE IT.
I REFERENCED THAT LETTER LAST
WEEK, AND THEN I REFERENCED
GILES COUNTY AND MY COMMENTS IN
A REPUBLICAN RADIO ADDRESS
LATER LAST WEEK, AND A RESPONSE
TO THAT, MR. AND MRS. KENNY
WROTE TO THE LEADER.
WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT BIG
BUSINESS HERE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES
THAT AFFECT THE EMPLOYEES AND
SMALL COUNTIES ALL ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY.
THE LEADER, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS 5,
010 SUBSCRIBERS.
THE KENNIES WROTE BACK IN AND
SAID, AS I STATED IN MY LETTER,
I'M A BLUE COLLAR FACTORY
WORKER WITH LIMITED EDUCATION
AND WORKED FOR OUR COUNTY'S
LARGEST EMPLOYER FOR NEARLY 35
THE ONLY REASON I AM SPEAKING
YEARS.
OUT ON THIS ISSUE IS THIS -- TO
GET OTHERS INVOLVED.
OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE AND WAY OF
LIFE HERE IN GILES COUNTY COULD
BE ON THE LINE UNLESS
RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS,
CIVIC ORGANIZATION AND OTHERS
COME TOGETHER AND SUPPORT H.R.
2250.
YOU KNOW WHAT, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, THE PEOPLE OF
AMERICA UNDERSTAND THAT THE
E.P.A. IS IN FACT KILLING JOBS.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE WE
HAVE TO HAVE A CLEAN
ENVIRONMENT AND WE ALL WANT A
CLEAN ENVIRONMENT, AS THE
GENTLEMAN FROM KENTUCKY SAID
EARLIER TODAY, WE CAN DO THAT.
THIS IS A REASONABLE APPROACH.
H.R. 2250 IS A VERY REASONABLE
APPROACH, WHICH WILL DO BOTH --
CONTINUOUS ON THE REGULATORY --
CONTINUOUS ON THE REGULATORY
PATH BUT MAKE SURE THEY ARE
REASONABLE AND EFFECTIVE AND
MAKE SURE WE PROTECT THE JOBS
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
WHILE WE GO FORWARD IN
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AS
WELL.
AND I YIELD BACK MY TIME, MR.
SPEAKER.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA RISE?
STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
IS THERE OBJECTION?
HEARING NONE, THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I JUST WANT TO
POINT OUT TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT
WHAT THE BILL DOES IS REPEAL
THE F.D.A.'S PREVIOUS RULE,
REGULATION AND THEN PROHIBITS
E.P.A. FROM ADOPTING ANOTHER
REGULATION FOR 15 MONTHS.
WHEN THEY ADOPT ANOTHER
REGULATION, IT CAN'T BE
ENFORCED FOR ANOTHER FIVE
YEARS.
AND THEN THERE'S NO DEADLINE.
MEANWHILE, THEY LOWER THE
STANDARD FOR E.P.A. IN SETTING
THAT REGULATION.
E.P.A. IS IN THE PROCESS NOW OF
NEGOTIATING WITH THE INDUSTRY
TO WORK OUT THE INFORMATION AND
THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN
BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION.
WE OUGHT TO GIVE E.P.A. THE
CHANCE TO DO THAT AND GET THE
FULL INPUT FROM THE INDUSTRY.
IF LEGISLATION IS NEEDED, WE
OUGHT TO CONSIDER WHAT
LEGISLATION IS NEEDED.
THE APPROACH OF THIS BILL IS TO
SET US BACK ENORMOUSLY.
WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN
PLACE BUT THE WEAKEST POSSIBLE
CRITERIA AND THEN NOTHING CAN
HAPPEN FOR FIVE YEARS AND MAYBE
EVEN LONGER BECAUSE IT TAKES 15
MONTHS TO GET THE REGULATION,
NO ENFORCEMENT FIVE YEARS AFTER
THAT, AND MAYBE NEVER, THAT'S
NOT A REASONABLE APPROACH.
IF THE INDUSTRY WANTS A LAW,
THE INDUSTRY OUGHT TO WORK ON
TELLING US WHAT THEY NEED AND
NOT GOING ON THIS ESCAPDE WITH
THE REPUBLICANS WHO WOULD LIKE
TO REPEAL THE WHOLE CLEAN AIR
ACT, REPEAL THE ABILITY FOR THE
E.P.A. TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC
FROM TOXIC POLLUTION AND, OF
COURSE, THE AMENDMENT THAT'S
BEFORE US IS INSOFAR AS THIS
BILL BECOMES LAW, WHEN WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT POISONING
CHILDREN'S BRAINS, WE'RE NOT
GOING TO STOP E.P.A. FROM
GETTING THEIR REGULATIONS IN
PLACE AND GETTING THEM
ENFORCED.
IT'S OBSCENE TO THINK OF THE
IDEA THAT WE WOULD WAIT 15 AND
ANOTHER 16 -- ANOTHER 6 1/2
YEARS AND MAYBE LONGER BEFORE
WE CAN DO ANYTHING TO START
DOWN THE ROAD TO REDUCE THE
POLLUTION THAT'S GOING TO
POISON THESE KIDS.
I ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE ON THE
AMENDMENT, AND I HOPE THAT
PEOPLE REALIZE THIS IS A BILL
THAT WILL PASS THE HOUSE BUT IN
MY VIEW, GIVEN THE PRESIDENT'S
STATEMENT OF A VETO, IT'S NOT
GOING TO BECOME LAW.
I'M READY FOR THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION ON THE AMENDMENT.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE QUESTION OCCURS ON THE
AMENDMENT OFFERED BY THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA, MR.
WAXMAN.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
IN THE OPINION OF THE CHAIR,
THE NOES HAVE IT.
MR. CHAIRMAN.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA.
I ASK FOR A ROLL
CALL VOTE.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 6
OF RULE 18, FURTHER PROCEEDINGS
ON THE AMENDMENT OFFERED BY
OFFERED BY THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA WILL BE POSTPONED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM ILLINOIS RISE?
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE
AN AMENDMENT AT THE DESK.
THE CLERK WILL
REPORT THE AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT NUMBER 6
PRINTED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL
ILLINOIS.
RECORD OFFERED BY MR. RUSH OF
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
ILLINOIS IS RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE
MINUTES.
MR. SPEAKER, LET US
NOT BE DISTRACTED.
MY -- MISCONFUSED, BACKWARD AND
SHORT-TERM SAVING ON THE PART
OF MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES.
THIS BILL REPRESENTS JUST
ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE NATION'S
LONG-STANDING ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION LAWS IN GENERAL, AND
THE E.P.A. IN PARTICULAR.
SELECT FEW
POLLUTING INDUSTRIES THAT ARE
OPERATING UNDER THE ASSUMPTION
THAT THE TIME IS RIGHT TO
PERMANENTLY ALTER WHAT AND
OBLITERATE THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
THE LAW IS THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF
THE SUBCOMMITTEE ADMITTED
EARLIER IN HIS TESTIMONY, THE
LAW THAT HE SAID EARLIER IS
WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WHILE MOST BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN
PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR
THESE RULES WHICH HAVE ALREADY
BEEN DELAYED FOR YEARS AND SOME
CASES HAVE BEEN DELAYED OVER A
DECADE, SOME OF THE MORE
INDUSTRIES
, THE MAJORITY REPUBLICAN
TELLING THE E.P.A. AND ALL OF
THE CLEAN AIR LAWS AS THE
PERFECT TIME TO TRY AND
PERMANENTLY ALTER THE CLEAN AIR
ACT.
SINCE -- H.R. 2250 WILL REDUCE
TOXIC AIR POLLUTION LIKE
MERCURY AND SOOT FROM SOME OF
OUR NATION'S MANY POLLUTERS.
CEMENT PLANTS, INDUSTRIAL
BOILERS AND INCINERATORS.
INSTEAD, THIS WILL MAKE
FUNDAMENTAL AND DAMAGING
CHANGES TO THE CLEAN AIR ACT
AND WOULD ENSURE THAT FUTURE
STANDARDS DO NOT MEANINGFULLY
THE AIR.
SO, MR. SPEAKER, I MUST OFFER
AN AMENDMENT THAT WILL CLARIFY
THAT SECTION 5 OF H.R. 2250 IS
INTENDED TO SUPPLEMENT THE
PROVISIONS OF AND SHALL NOT BE
CONSTRUED ANY REQUIREMENT,
LIMITATION OR OTHER PROVISION
.
CLEAN AIR ACT.
OF SECTIONS 112 AND 129 OF THE
THIS SINGLE PROVISION IN SECTION
5 WILL HAVE THE EFFECT OF
ELIMINATING INCINERATORS,
BOILERS AND EXEMPTING CEMENT
PLANTS FROM MAXIMUM REDUCTIONS
IN TOXIC AIR POLLUTIONS
EMISSIONS.
ANY OTHER MAJOR
INDUSTRIAL SOURCE OF AIR
POLLUTION IN THIS NATION.
THE MAJORITY EVEN ASKED THEIR --
ASKED REPEATEDLY OVER AND OVER
AND OVER AGAIN TO EXPLAIN WHY
CONGRESS SHOULD CARVE OUT
EXEMPTIONS FOR THE NATION'S
DIRTIEST POLLUTERS AND THOSE
EXEMPTIONS ARE TO THE PUBLIC
HEALTH OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
AND AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE VERY
COMPANIES THAT HAVE ALREADY
INVESTED IN THE TECHNOLOGY TO
MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF
THIS LAW.
IT IS THE MAJORITY'S INTENT TO
CLARIFY THE RULES AND PROVIDE
CERTAINTY FOR BUSINESS, THEN
AMENDMENT WILL ACCOMPLISH
THAT PURPOSE.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS
THEIR INTENT AND I DON'T BELIEVE
THAT IS WHAT THEIR GOAL AND
INTENTIONS ARE.
THEY HAVE A SINGLE PURPOSE IN
ALL OF THESE BILLS THAT WE HAVE
BEEN DEBATING ON THIS FLOOR THAT
RELATE TO THE CLEAN AIR ACT, AND
THAT IS TO COMPLETELY NULLIFY
AND GUT THE CLEAN AIR ACT SO
THAT THE POLLUTERS IN THIS
NATION CAN KEEP ON POLLUTING THE
VERY AIR THAT WE BREATHE.
SO, MR. SPEAKER, I URGE ALL OF
MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT MY
AMENDMENT.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
I YIELD TO THE RANKING MEMBER.
I THANK YOU FOR
YIELDING TO ME.
I WANT TO JOIN YOU IN SURGING
SUPPORT FOR THIS AMENDMENT.
WHATEVER THE MOTIVATION IS OF
THE REPUBLICAN -- I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT FOR ONE
ADDITIONAL MINUTE.
IS THERE OBJECTION?
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE GENTLEMAN
IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE ADDITIONAL
MINUTE.
WHATEVER THE
MOTIVATION IS FOR THE
LEGISLATION I CAN UNDERSTAND
YOUR REASON FOR BEING VERY
I SHARE IT.
SKEPTICAL.
BUT THE INDUSTRY, WHAT THE
INDUSTRY SHOULD WANT IS
REGULATORY CERTAINTY.
AND THIS BILL ADDS MORE
CONFUSION TO WHAT IS ALREADY A
LONG OVERDUE EFFORT TO REDUCE
TOXIC AIR POLLUTION FROM BOILERS
AND INCINERATORS.
NO TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION
OF NEW EMISSION STANDARDS.
THE BILL CREATES SIGNIFICANT
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE E.P.A.
POLLUTION.
WOULD SET LIMITS FOR TOXIC AIR
IF THEY THINK IT'S REGULATORY
CERTAINTY THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO
ANYTHING FOR YEARS, THEY BETTER
NOT COUNT ON IT.
IF THEY WANT REGULAR CERTAINTY,
THEY BETTER COME FORWARD AND
WORK SOMETHING OUT.
IN THE MEANTIME YOUR
CLARIFICATION PROVIDES THE
CERTAINTY AND I URGE MEMBERS TO
SUPPORT IT.
TIME.
YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM KENTUCKY RISE?
CLAIM TIME IN
OPPOSITION TO THE AMENDMENT.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THE GENTLEMAN'S
AMENDMENT WOULD SIMPLY ADD AN
ADDITIONAL PARAGRAPH AT THE END
OF SECTION 5 OF OUR BILL AND
BASICALLY IT WOULD SAY THAT
SECTION 5 IN OUR BILL WOULD NOT
BE CONSTRUED TO SUPERSEDE ANY
REQUIREMENT LIMITATION OR OTHER
PROVISION OF SECTIONS 112 AND
129 OF THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
AND BECAUSE HIS AMENDMENT WOULD
SAY IT DOES NOT SUPERSEDE IS THE
REASON THAT WE WANT TO OPPOSE
THE AMENDMENT.
NOW, SECTION 5 SAYS THIS, AND
THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO
SUPERSEDE SECTION 112 AND 129 OF
THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
IN PROMULGATING RULES, THE
ADMINISTRATOR SHALL ENSURE THAT
EMISSION STANDARDS FOR EXISTING
AND NEW SOURCES ESTABLISHED
UNDER SECTION 112 OR 29 CAN BE
MET UNDER ACTUAL OPERATING
CONDITIONS CONSISTENTLY AND
WITH EMISSION
STANDARDS FOR ALL OTHER AIR
POLLUTANTS REGULATED BY THE RULE
FOR THE SOURCE CATEGORY TAKING
INTO ACCOUNT VARE YIBBLET AND
ACTUAL SOURCE -- VARIBILITY,
ACTUAL SOURCE REQUIREMENT, FUEL
INPUT, CONTROLS TO MEASURE
POLLUTANT CONDITIONS AND
OPERATINGS CONDITIONS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE WANT TO BE
SURE THAT CAN BE MET UNDER
ACTUAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.
AND IN THE SECOND PART OF OUR
SECTION 5 THAT WE WANT TO BE
SURE SUPERSEDES, WHICH THIS
AMENDMENT WOULD NOT ALLOW, IS
THAT WE PUT IN SECTION 5 THE
PRESIDENT'S OWN EXECUTIVE ORDER
IN WHICH HE SAYS THAT THE
ADMINISTRATOR SHALL IMPOSE THE
LEAST BURDENSOME REGULATION
CONSISTENT WITH THE PURPOSES OF
THE ACT.
WE ARE DOING IN SECTION 5
IS SAYING WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT IT IS THE LEAST BURDENSOME
PURSUANT TO THE PRESIDENT'S OWN
EXECUTIVE ORDER, AND THAT WE
WANT TO BE SURE THAT IT CAN BE
MET IN ACTUAL OPERATING
CONDITIONS.
SO FOR THAT REASON WE WOULD
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE THE
GENTLEMAN'S AMENDMENT.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK.
THE QUESTION IS ON THE AMENDMENT
OFFERED BY THE GENTLEMAN FROM
ILLINOIS.
THE GENTLEMAN, MR. RUSH.
THOSE IN FAVOR WILL VOTE AYE.
ON THAT I ASK FOR A
ROLL CALL VOTE.
FRICTION, FURTHER
PROCEEDINGS ON THE AMENDMENT
OFFERED BY THE GENTLEMAN FROM
ILLINOIS WILL BE POSTPONED.
WHO SEEKS RECOGNITION?
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA SEEK
RECOGNITION?
I HAVE AN AMENDMENT AT THE
DESK.
THE CLERK WILL
DESIGNATE THE AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT NUMBER 15,
PRINTED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL
RECORD, OFFERED BY MS. HAHN OF
CALIFORNIA.
THE GENTLELADY IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIRMAN.
TODAY I'M OFFERING AN AMENDMENT
THAT WILL PRESERVE THE CRITICAL
AIR POLLUTION PROTECTIONS FOR
MOST.
THE PLACES THAT THEY ARE NEEDED
FOR THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT,
AIR POLLUTION IS A MAJOR HEALTH
PROBLEM.
THE LOS ANGELES REGION ALWAYS IS
NEAR THE TOP OF THE NATION'S
WORST AIR QUALITY RANKINGS.
UNFORTUNATELY THE PEOPLE IN MY
DISTRICT DON'T NEED TO READ THE
STATISTICS FROM THE AMERICAN
LUNG ASSOCIATION TO KNOW THAT
THERE'S A POLLUTION PROBLEM IN
OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY SEE IT IN THE DARK SOOT
THAT SEEPS INTO THE HOMES OF
FAMILIES LIVING NEAR THE PORT OF
WILMINGTON.
THEY SEE IT IN THE LABORED
BREATHING OF A LITTLE GIRL IN LA
MEETA STAYING HOME FROM SCHOOL
BECAUSE OF ASTHMA.
THEY SEE IT IN THE TEARS OF
LOVED ONES IN AN PEDRO, RECALL
LOSING SOMEONE BEFORE THEIR TIME
TO CANCER OR LUNG DISEASE.
BUT THE STATISTICS ARE THERE,
TOO.
IN LOS ANGELES 6% TO 7% OF ALL
CHILDREN HAVE ASTHMA.
AVERAGE.
HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL
AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING
MINORITY CHILDREN.
WHEN OUR KIDS CAN'T RUN AROUND
OUTSIDE TO EXERCISE, WHEN THEY
ARE MISSING SCHOOL WITH ASTHMA,
WE ARE CREATING ALL SORTS OF
OTHER HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL
DEFICITS.
AIR QUALITY PROBLEMS.
LOS ANGELES HAS RECOGNIZED ITS
SINCE THE CLEAN AIR ACT
AMENDMENTS OF 1990, WE HAVE MADE
DRAMATIC AIR QUALITY
IMPROVEMENTS.
IN THE LAST DECADE, WE HAVE
MANAGED TO REDUCE PARTICULATE
BY 40%.
POLLUTION LEVELS IN LOS ANGELES
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO
BACKWARDS.
THAT'S WHY I'M OFFERING THIS
AMENDMENT TODAY.
MY AMENDMENT WOULD ENSURE THAT
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY WILL KEEP THEIR HIRE
STANDARDS OF CLEAN AIR
PROTECTIONS FOR THE 10
METROPOLITAN AREAS WITH THE
WORST AIR QUALITY.
THE AMERICAN LUNG SOCIETY LISTS
THE 10 WORST REGIONS WITH
YEAR-ROUND PARTICULATE MATTER.
THEY ARE BAKERSFIELD, DELANEO,
IN CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, LONG
BEACH, RIVERSIDE IN CALIFORNIA,
PORT-OF-VILL IN CALIFORNIA.
PHOENIX, LYNNDALE IN ARIZONA.
FRESNO, MADERIA IN CALIFORNIA.
PITTSBURGH, NEW CASTLE,
PENNSYLVANIA.
BIRMINGHAM, HOOVER IN ALABAMA.
CINCINNATI, MIDDLETON,
WILMINGTON IN OHIO.
KENTUCKY, INDIANA.
MODESTO IN CALIFORNIA.
AND LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON
COUNTY, ELIZABETH TOWN,
SCOTSBURG, AND KENTUCKY AND
INDIANA.
I BELIEVE THAT THE UNDERLYING
BILL IS A GIANT STEP BACKWARDS
FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES AND FOR
THE AIR QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENT
OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS
COUNTRY.
MY AMENDMENT SOLELY FOCUSES ON
TRYING TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT
PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES WITH THE
WORST AIR QUALITY STANDARDS.
THESE COMMUNITIES CANNOT AFFORD
TO HAVE LOWER STANDARDS THAT
WILL RESULT IN MORE ASTHMA, MORE
CANCER.
BY PROTECTING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH,
WE WILL NOT LOSE JOBS.
IT'S A FALSE PREMISE THAT TO
CREATE JOBS WE NEED TO HURT OUR
NATION'S ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE PORTS OF LOS
ANGELES AND LONG BEACH WERE ABLE
TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND
CREATE JOBS AND INDUSTRY.
THESE PORTS ARE THE ECONOMIC
ENGINE OF THIS COUNTRY.
I CALL THEM AMERICA'S PORTS.
THEY TAKE IN ABOUT 44% OF ALL
THE CARGO IN THIS COUNTRY COMES
THROUGH THOSE PORTS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID YOU CAN'T
HAVE CLEAN AIR AND GOOD JOBS.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT REALLY
HAPPENED.
WE CUT PORT POLLUTION BY 70%
WITHOUT LOSING A
SINGLE JOB.
I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN.
A 70% REDUCTION IN POLLUTION AT
THE COST OF ZERO JOBS.
IN FACT, THE GREEN INDUSTRY JOBS
WERE SPAWNED CREATING MORE JOBS.
OUR MORE VIGOROUS ENVIRONMENTAL
STANDARDS IN CALIFORNIA AREN'T
STOPPING THE FACILITIES IN MY
DISTRICT FROM THRIVING.
THAT'S WHY I FIND IT SO
UPSETTING THAT UNDER THE BANNER
OF PROTECTING JOBS, OUR
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE ARE MOVING TO DELAY OR
DESTROY THE PROTECTIONS THAT
ENSURE OUR CHILDREN CAN GROW UP
BREATHING CLEAN AIR.
MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE AISLE CLAIM MAKING OUR
AIR DIRTIER IS A WAY TO
STIMULATE THE ECONOMY.
BUT A PEER REVIEWED CAL STATE
FULLERTON STUDY FOUND THAT DIRTY
AIR IN THE LOS ANGELES AIR BASIN
COSTS RESIDENTS $22 BILLION A
HEALTH COSTS, PREMATURE
DEATHS, LOST DAYS OF WORK, LOST
DAYS AT SCHOOL, $22 BILLION A
YEAR WASTED BECAUSE OF DIRTY
AIR.
I REJECT THE FALSE CHOICE
BETWEEN GOOD JOBS AND CLEAN AIR.
WE HAVE ALREADY PROVED THAT THEY
CAN GO HAND IN HAND WITH CLEAN
AIR ACTION PLAN AT THE PORT OF
LOS ANGELES.
I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS ARE
NOT TOPPING THE LIST OF PROBLEMS
THAT SMALL BUSINESSES IN MY
COMMUNITY ARE SAYING.
LAST WEEK I MET WITH OVER 50
SMALL BUSINESSES AND THEY SAID
THEY NEED MORE ACCESS TO CAPITAL
NOT LESS REGULATIONS.
I YIELD BACK MY TIME
THE GENTLEMAN'S TIME
HAS EXPIRED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM KENTUCKY RISE?
I CLAIM TIME IN
OPPOSITION TO THE AMENDMENT.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THE GENTLELADY