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POLLUTERS AHEAD OF THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO OPPOSE
THIS BILL.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES
THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK
RISE?
STRIKE THE LAST SECTION.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIRMAN.
YOU KNOW, WHEN SOME OF US GO
HOME AND WE SPEAK TO DIFFERENT
GROUPS ABOUT HOW CONGRESS
CONDUCTS ITS BUSINESS, ONE OF
THE PARTS OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS
THAT MAY BE HARD TO UNDERSTAND
IS THAT WE HAVE PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS AND WE HAVE PEOPLE
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE THAT
WE RESPECT AND WE LIKE.
AND SO ESPECIALLY DURING THESE
TIMES IT BECOMES DIFFICULT FOR
SOME OF US WHEN, FOR INSTANCE, A
PERSON LIKE MYSELF LOOKS AT A
CHAIRMAN ROGERS OR A CHAIRMAN
WOLF OR A MIKE SIMPSON, CHAIRMAN
SIMPSON, AND WE KNOW THAT THESE
ARE GOOD PEOPLE WHO ARE TOTALLY
CONFUSED AS TO WHAT IT IS WE'RE
SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
YOU SAY TO A REPUBLICAN THESE
DAYS, GOOD MORNING, AND HE OR
SHE ANSWERS, CUT THE BUDGET.
THE SKY IS BLUE, CUT THE BUDGET.
WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO
GET CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF SPENDING
UNDER CONTROL.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT SOME
FOLKS, AND THIS BILL SHOWS THAT,
CONTINUE TO TOTALLY
MISUNDERSTAND THAT, YES, WE MAY
HAVE ECONOMIC ISSUES THAT WE
HAVE TO DEAL WITH, THAT'S A
GIVEN.
BUT WE ARE ALSO STILL AN PERHAPS
FOREVER THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON
EARTH.
HOW DID WE GET THERE?
WE DIDN'T GET THERE BECAUSE WE
DECIDED EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS TO
SIMPLY CUT THE BUDGET.
WE GOT THERE BECAUSE WE INVESTED
MONEY, BECAUSE WE CREATED, YES,
RULES, BECAUSE WE CREATED, YES,
LAWS, THAT PROTECTED OUR WAY OF
LIFE THE WAY THAT WE WANTED OUR
FUTURE GENERATIONS TO BE
TREATED.
AND SO WHAT YOU SEE ACROSS THE
BOARD NOW IS THIS BELIEF THAT IF
YOU GET THE BUDGET DOWN TO A
CERTAIN NUMBER, WHICH SOMETIMES,
AND I SAY THIS PROFOUNDLY
SARCASTIC, PERHAPS, SOME PEOPLE
WOULD LIKE TO GET IT TO ZERO AND
I DON'T-ASK, DON'T-TELL KNOW
WHAT HAPPENS CONSTITUTIONALLY
AFTER THAT, IF THE BUDGET GETS
TO ZERO, BUT IF YOU GET IT DOWN,
THEN THE COUNTRY WILL DO BETTER
OF THE EVERYTHING WILL BE WELL
-- BETTER.
EVERYTHING WILL BE WELL.
COUPLE THAT WITH THE FACT THAT
WHILE SOME FOLKS ON THAT SIDE
ARE IN FACT STRONG BELIEVERS,
THAT YOU MUST CUT SPENDING --
BELIEVES THAT -- BELIEVERS THAT
YOU MUST CUT SPENDING, OTHERS
HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ROLL BACK LANGUAGE, TO ROLL BACK
REGULATIONS THAT HAVE MADE THE
ENVIRONMENT SAFER, THAT HAVE
MADE OUR LIVES BETTER, THAT HAVE
MADE US SAFER AS AMERICANS.
AND SO THE PUBLIC IS BEING TOLD
IT'S ABOUT CUTTING THE BUDGET.
THE PUBLIC IS BEING TOLD IT'S
ABOUT NOT HAVING A NATIONAL
DEBT.
THE PUBLIC IS BEING TOLD IT'S
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE OWE.
YES, THAT IS A LEGITIMATE
CONCERN.
BUT WHAT THE COUNTRY IS NOT
BEING TOLD IS THAT, FOR
INSTANCE, IN THIS BILL, THROUGH
WRITERS, WE ARE GOING BACK
PERHAPS NOT EVENLY TO THE
1960'S, BUT TO THE 1950'S OR
EVEN THE 1940'S IN ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES, ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
AND OTHER ISSUES.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO
CONTINUE TO BE A VOICE ON THIS
SIDE AND FOLKS ON THAT SIDE WHO
BELIEVE AS I DO THAT THIS IS THE
WRONG ROUTE TO TAKE, THAT WE
HAVE TO CONTINUE TO STAND UP AND
SAY WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE NEED
TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WE HAVE
TO.
BUT WE CAN'T THROW AWAY
EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE HAD, WE
CAN'T THROW AWAY EVERYTHING
WE'VE BUILT, WE CAN'T SIMPLY NOT
INVEST IN THE FUTURE.
I SIT ON OTHER COMMITTEES,
COMMITTEES THAT HAVE
TRADITIONALLY GIVEN US AN
OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST.
SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW IN THIS
COUNTRY THERE IS A PERSON, MALE
OR FEMALE, SITTING WITH A WHITE
ROBE IN A LABORATORY COMING UP
WITH THE NEXT MEDICINE, THE NEXT
VELCRO, IF YOU WILL, THE NEXT
INVENTION THAT WILL MAKE US A
BETTER NATION AND A BETTER
SOCIETY AND HELP OURSELVES AND
HETH HELP THE WORLD.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE BUDGETS AND
THEY'LL BE COMING TO A FLOOR
NEAR YOU PRETTY SOON, THOSE
BUDGETS ARE DEVASTATED WHEN IT
COMES TO INVESTING MONEY IN
RESEARCH AND SO WHILE IT'S GOOD
TO TELL THE PUBLIC, CUT THE
BUDGET, WE NEED TO BE HONEST AND
SAY, IN THE PROCESS WE MAY SET
YOU BACK 30 OR 40 YEARS.
.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND RISE?
THE GENTLEMAN IS
MOVE TO STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THIS BILL IS A
TERRIBLE BILL FOR OUR COUNTRY
AND REPRESENTS AN ASSAULT ON OUR
ENVIRONMENT AND ACTUALLY, I WAS
LOOKING THROUGH THE VARIOUS
ASSESSMENTS ABOUT THIS BILL,
THIS INTERIOR AND ENVIRONMENT
APPROPRIATIONS LEGISLATION FOR
2012 FROM DIFFERENT GROUPS WHO
ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
ENVIRONMENT, CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN
WATER AND THAT'S THE WORD THEY
KEPT USING, ASSAULT.
THIS IS AN ASSAULT ON CLEAN
WATER.
IT'S AN ASSAULT ON CLEAN AIR.
IT'S AN ASSAULT ON CONSERVATION.
IT CONTINUES THE ASSAULT THAT
WAS BEGUN AT THE BEGINNING OF
THIS YEAR WITH H.R. 1, TO
COMPLETELY DISMANTLE OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS.
AND I CONFESS TO YOU I JUST
DON'T UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATIONS
OF OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE AISLE.
DO WE NOT BREATHE THE SAME AIR?
DO WE NOT DRINK THE SAME WATER?
DO WE NOT TRAVERSE THE SAME
BEAUTIFUL TERRAIN ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY?
I CAN'T IMAGINE, I CAN'T FATHOM
WHAT THE MOTIVATION IS TO ENGAGE
IN THIS WHOLESALE ATTACK ON OUR
ENVIRONMENT.
LET'S LOOK AT THAT ATTACK.
THEY'RE PROPOSING TO CUT THE
E.P.A.'S BUDGET -- THIS IS THE
AGENCY THAT IS CHARGED WITH
PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT -- TO
CUT THAT BUDGET BY 18% BELOW
2011 LEVELS AND 40% BY 2010
LEVELS.
I COME FROM THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.
I GREW UP FISHING FOR CRABS ON
THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND.
MY GRANDMOTHER LIVED IN
SALISBURY AND THAT'S WHERE WE
USED TO GO DURING THE SUMMERS.
THIS WOULD BE DEVASTATING FOR
THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.
IT CUTS FUNDING TO THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM, WHICH IS
DESIGNED TO PUT THE BAY ON A
POLLUTION DIET SO WE CAN CLEAN
UP THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.
BUT THIS WOULD UNDERMINE THAT.
AND IT PUTS ALL THESE POLICY
RIDERS ON IT, LOADED UP WITH
POLICY RIDERS AND PREVENT THE
REGULATION OF COAL ASH AS A
HAZARDOUS WASTE.
WE HAVE THAT IN MY DISTRICT.
I WANT THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY TO BE ABLE TO
DO THAT WORK.
BUT THIS BILL WOULD UNDERMINE
IT.
SO IT'S AN ASSAULT ON CLEAN
WATER AND THAT AFFECTS THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY.
BUT LET'S LOOK WHAT ELSE IT
DOES.
IT'S AN ASSAULT ON CLEAN AIR.
THIS BILL, WITH ALL OF THESE
POLICY RIDERS, WOULD BLOCK
STANDARDS TO CUT AIR POLLUTION
FROM CEMENT KILNS AND DELAYING
POWER STANDARDS BY SIX MONTHS
THAT WOULD REDUCE MERCURY
ARSENIC AND LEAD IN THE AIR.
DON'T WE WANT TO DO THAT?
IT WOULD EXEMPT OIL COMPANIES,
NOW THIS IS NO SURPRISE, THAT'S
BECOME A COMMON PRACTICE.
HOW MANY EXEMPTIONS CAN WE GIVE
TO THE OIL AND GAS COMPANIES?
IT WOULD EXEMPT OIL COMPANIES
FROM COMPLYING WITH THE CLEAN
AIR ACT IN OFFSHORE DRILLING
PRAYINGS.
IT'S AN ASSAULT ON CLEAN AIR.
A STUDY WAS DONE BY THE E.P.A.
THAT SAID THE AIR QUALITY
IMPROVEMENTS UNDER THE CLEAN AIR
ACT IF MAINTAINED FROM THE
PERIOD OF 1990 TO 2020 WILL
RESULT IN $2 TRILLION IN SAVINGS
FOR THIS COUNTRY AND PREVENT
30,000 DEATHS.
WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO UNDERMINE
THE PROTECTIONS WITH RESPECT TO
OUR CLEAN AIR?
IT'S AN ASSAULT ON ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION, TAKING FUNDING AWAY
FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
IN TERMS OF NEEDED CONSTRUCTION
THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
IT'S AN ASSAULT ON OUR NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGES.
THE REDUCTION IN FUNDING FOR OUR
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES, THAT
IS 120 ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ASSAULT ON CONSERVATION,
REDUCING THE WATER AND LAND
CONSERVATION FUND TO $66
MILLION, AN 80% CUT FROM 2011
LEVELS.
BUT HERE'S THE GREAT SHAME OF
IT.
THE GREAT SHAME OF IT IS, THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE READY TO
ENVIRONMENT.
STEP UP AND BE STEWARDS OF THE
THEY WANT TO DO THAT. THEY WANT
TO TAKE OWNERSHIP IN THEIR OWN
BACK YARDS.
BUT THEY CAN'T DO IT IF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISN'T THERE
AS A PARTNER.
I URGE DEFEAT OF THIS BILL.
AND I YIELD BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN'S TIME
HAS EXPIRED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND RISE?
MOVE TO STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WAS
CONCERNED MAINLY ABOUT TWO
THINGS IN THIS LAST ELECTION.
A, JOBS.
TRYING TO GET OPPORTUNITIES FOR
THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN
AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO EARN A
LIVING.
THEY ARE ALSO CONCERNED
CORRECTLY ABOUT THE DEBT AND
DEFICIT THAT CONFRONTS THIS
COUNTRY.
THOSE WERE THE TWO ITEMS THAT
THEY WERE VERY FOCUSED ON AND
CONCERNED ABOUT AND I THINK
ALMOST EVERYBODY ON THIS FLOOR
SHARES THEIR CONCERNS.
I GOT NO MESSAGE FROM ANY VOTER
THAT I OUGHT TO COME TO CONGRESS
AND UNDERMINE THE AIR, WATER,
LAND THAT THEY SURVIVE ON,
RECREATE ON AND RELY ON FOR THE
QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES, NOT ONE
CONSTITUENT WHETHER THEY VOTED
FOR ME OR AGAINST ME SAID
UNDERMINE THE PROTECTIONS OF OUR
LAND AND WATER AND AIR.
NOT ONE.
HOWEVER, THAT IS WHAT WE'RE
DEALING WITH TODAY.
NOT JOBS, NOT DEFICITS, BUT
UNDERMINING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR
AIR, OUR WATER AND OUR LAND.
I RISE, THEREFORE, MR. SPEAKER,
IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO THIS
BILL, WHICH PUTS SOME OF OUR
NATION'S MOST PRECIOUS NATURAL
RESOURCES AT SEVERE RISK.
THIS BLILL SLASHES FUNDING FOR
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY BY NEARLY 20%.
AFTER A YEAR IN WHICH ITS
FUNDING ALREADY DECLINED BY 16%.
THE RESULT OF THESE CUTS WILL BE
AN AGENCY UNEQUIPED.
NOW, MR. SPEAKER, I DON'T WANT
TO HAVE TO ADDRESS YOU BUT UNDER
THE RULES IF I DIDN'T ADDRESS
YOU, I WOULD ADDRESS ALL OF
AMERICA BUT THEIR CONCERNS OF
THIS UNDERMINING OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
AMERICANS WANT THE ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTED.
THEY DON'T WANT THAT EFFORT
UNDERMINED.
IT WILL MEAN HIGHER RISKS OF
DIRT YEAR AIR, UNSAFE WATER AND
CARBON POLLUTION IN OUR
ATMOSPHERE.
NO AMERICAN SAID THAT'S WHAT
THEY WANTED WHEN THEY TALKED TO
ME.
THIS BILL INCLUDES A RIDER THAT
WOULD DEFUND THE LISTING OF
ENDANGERED SPECIES AND HABITAT,
A TRUE FAILURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL
STEWARDSHIP.
PERHAPS WORST OF ALL, THIS BILL
COMES WITH 39 SEPARATE
ANTI-ENVIRONMENT RIDERS THAT
CATER TO SOME OF OUR NATION'S
MOST POWERFUL SPECIAL INTERESTS.
NOW, MAYBE I MISSED IT.
MAYBE THERE IS AN AMERICAN WHO
SAID, PROTECT THE SPECIAL
INTERESTS AND UNDERMINE OUR
ENVIRONMENT, BUT GEE, MAYBE I
MISSED TALKING TO THEM.
MAYBE THAT WAS IT.
THESE RIDERS WOULD ENDANGER AND
EXPLOIT OUR PUBLIC RESOURCES
INCLUDING THE GRAND CANYON AND
COLORADO RIVER, QUALITY OF OUR
NATION'S AIR AND WATER FOR THE
PRIVATE GAIN OF JUST A FEW.
THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION
FUND WHICH RE-INVESTS MONEY WE
CAN GAIN FROM OFFSHORE GAS
DRILLING INTO PROTECTING OUR
PUBLIC LANDS.
NOW WE HAVE JUST SEEN A DRAMATIC
ASSAULT ON OUR LANDS ON THE GULF
COAST.
IT'S CUT 78% FROM THE CURRENT
YEAR'S FUNDING IN THIS BILL.
COMMUNITIES WAITING FOR FUNDING
FOR NEW SEWER AND DRINKING WATER
SYSTEMS WILL FIND A 40% CUT.
NO AMERICAN ASKED ME FOR THAT.
IN 1995, THE VERY FIRST VOTE OF
THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY, 1995,
THE VERY FIRST VOTE THE NEW
REPUBLICAN MAJORITY CAST ON A
BILL LIKE THIS ONE, ONE THAT
ATTEMPTED TO SLASH THE E.P.A..
THE YEAR IS DIFFERENT, BUT THE
POLICY IS THE SAME.
THERE WAS ONE MAJOR DIFFERENCE.
THAT FAILED BILL HAD JUST 17
ENVIRONMENTAL RIDERS.
LESS THAN HALF OF THIS ONE.
THIS ONE HAS 39.
THESE PROVISIONS DO NOTHING TO
CONTROL SPENDING.
THEY ARE END RUNS SIMPLY AROUND
LAWS TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT.
NOW, AS THEN, THE WISH LIST
DESERVES TO BE VOTED DOWN.
REPRESENTATIVE BOTTLE EARTH A
MEMBER OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES
COMMITTEE STOOD ON THIS FLOOR
WHEN THAT 1995 BILL WAS OFFERED,
A REPUBLICAN LEADER SAID DO NOT
DO THIS TO OUR LAND, OUR AIR AND
OUR WATER.
LET ME QUOTE THE RISE WORDS OF
THE RANKING MEMBER, MY COLLEAGUE
AND FRIEND, CONGRESSMAN JIM
MORAN AND I QUOTE, THERE ARE
THOSE WHO WANT TO MAKE THIS
CONTROVERSY BETWEEN HUMANS AND
THE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT THAT IS A FALSE ASSERTION.
I URGE YOU TO READ THE BALANCE
OF MR. MORAN'S QUOTE IN OPPOSING
THIS BAD BILL.
AND I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF
MY TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM ARIZONA RISE?
I RISE TO STRIKE
THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
H.R. 25884 IS
WITHOUT QUESTION THE MOST
REGRESS I HAVE, DESTRUCTIVE AND
SHAMELESS ATTACK ON OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, THIS
COUNTRY'S PUBLIC HEALTH AND
CONSERVATION IN OVER FOUR
DECADES.
THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE
BACK DOOR CHANGES THAT 40 I HAD
LOGICALLY POLICY-DRIVEN RIDERS
IN LEGISLATION AND THE BIGGEST
TO THE POLLUTERS WHO HELPED
CRAFT THESE RIDERS AND ADDING
THEM TO OUR LAWS.
AND THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED ON THE
RIDERS.
RIDERS IN AN APPROPRIATIONS BILL
THAT LEGISLATE.
IT IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH
DEFUNDING AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE
E.P.A., SO THAT THEIR OVERSIGHT
IS WEAKENED AND UNFORTUNATELY
BECOMES NONEXIST TANT.
GIVING AWAY PUBLIC LANDS.
THESE MECHANISMS ARE USED IN
THIS LEGISLATION TO NOT ONLY
UNDERMINE, BUT TO DISMANTLE
PROTECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PART
OF THE LEGACY OF THIS NATION FOR
YEARS UPON YEARS AND DECADES
UPON DECADES.
MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, CLEAN AIR AND
CLEAN WATER ARE LEFT WITHOUT
FUNDING TO PROTECT AMERICAN
FAMILIES.
AND THE LEGISLATION BEFORE US
DOES NOT CREATE JOBS.
IF THE REASON OF THE DEFICIT --
THE REASON THAT THIS IS BEING
DONE AS WE HEAR FROM THE OTHER
SIDE IS FOR DEFICIT REDUCTION,
THAT SOUNDS HOLLOW AND CONTRIVED
WHEN ONE MEASURES PUBLIC HEALTH
AND THE CLEANUP.
IT SOUNDS HOLLOW WHEN THE
TAXPAYER SEES THE TAX BREAKS,
PUBLIC RESOURCE GIVEAWAYS AND
UNRELATED PRIVILEGES TO INDUSTRY
AND BIG BUSINESS.
IT SEEMS HOLLOW WHEN THE AVERAGE
AMERICAN TAXPAYER SUFFERS BOTH
THE FINANCIAL AND HUMAN COST OF
THIS LEGISLATION.
LET ME USE ONE EXAMPLE OF A
RIDER INTRODUCED BY MY COLLEAGUE
FROM ARIZONA, A SON OF ARIZONA,
TO THE GRAND CANYON.
THIS WOULD EFFECTIVELY DEFUND
ANY OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY, TO
ANALYZE THE CONSEQUENCES OF
URANIUM MINING ON ONE MILLION
ACRES AROUND THE GRAND CANYON.
IF ANYTHING ELSE WERE TO BE AN
IMPORTANT POINT FOR THIS
CONGRESS, IT IS THE ICON OF ALL
OUR NATIONAL PARKS, THE GRAND
CANYON AND THE URANIUM MINERS IN
THAT AREA HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO
THE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA AND NOW
WITH THIS RIDER, WE ARE
PERPETRATING THE SAME CLIMATE,
THE SAME STRATEGY THAT HAS
CAUSED THE PROBLEMS IN THE AREA.
WE ARE JEOPARDIZING THE WATER,
THE COLORADO RIVER AND WATER
USERS IN NEVADA, CALIFORNIA AND
ARIZONA.
AND THEY USE AN EXPERT -- THEY
TOUT AN EXPERT AS OF TODAY AND
RECENTLY, A PERSON WHO
RATIONALIZED THAT THERE WOULD BE
NO REAL DAMAGE TO THE GRAND
CANYON.
ISN'T IT IRONIC AND INTERESTING
TO NOTE THAT THIS EXPERT IS
SITTING ON 30 OR MORE MINING
CLAIMS IN THE WITHDRAWAL AREA
AROUND THE GRAND CANYON AND
WOULD STAND TO DO VERY, VERY
WELL FINANCIAL ABOUT SALE AND
RESALE OF THESE CLAIMS.
.
THIS IS THE EXPERT.
THIS LEGISLATION IS A FEEDING
FRENZY FOR POLLUTERS, BIG OIL
AND SPECULATERS WHO MAKE THEIR
HUGE PROFITS BY CUTTING CORNERS,
IGNORING REGULATIONS AND
SKIRTING THE RESPONSIBILITIES
THAT WE ALL HAVE TO FOLLOW THE
LAW.
NOW THEIR MISSION HAS AN EAGER
PARTNER.
THE MAJORITY OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE NO
ON THIS LEGISLATION AND TO
PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE HEALTH
OF OUR LEGACY AS A NATION.
AND I YIELD BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM OHIO RISE?
MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE TO
STRIKE THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, AS WE SIT AND
ENDURE THIS MINI FILIBUSTER
ABOUT HOW HORRIBLE REPUBLICANS
ARE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS BILL
AND THE ENVIRONMENT, I WANT TO
GIVE A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT HOW
SOME OF THESE WRITERS ACTUAL I
-- ACTUALLY GOT IN THE BILL.
AND I -- I AND A
NUMBER OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
PENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING WITH
THIS E.P.A. THIS E.P.A.
ADMINISTRATOR AND IT'S LIKE
TALKING TO THIS LECTERN.
NOTHING GETS THROUGH AND I WANT
TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ONE
PARTICULAR MATTER THAT I PUT IN
THIS BILL THAT'S A WRITER AND IT
HAS TO DO WITH THE U.S. E.P.A.
DRAFT NOTICE 2010-X AND THAT WAS
A NOTICE THAT WENT OUT TO THE
MANUFACTURERS OF LAWN
FERTILIZER.
NOW EVERYBODY IN THE CHAMBER
WOULD AGREE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO
MANUFACTURE LAWN FERTILIZER,
WHAT THEY PUT IN THE BAG SHOULD
BE SAFE, IT SHOULD NOT HARM THE
ENVIRONMENT AND IT SHOULD
ACTUALLY DO WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED
TO DO AND THAT'S GROW GRASS OR
DO SOMETHING ELSE.
HOWEVER, THE E.P.A., BECAUSE
THEY HAD PRECIOUS LITTLE TO DO,
DECIDED THAT THEY WEREN'T
CONTENT WITH REGULATOR WHAT WAS
IN THE BAG, THEY WANT TO
REGULATE WHAT'S ON THE BAG AND
THAT'S A LIST OF INGREDIENTS BUT
WHAT THE PRODUCT IS CALLED.
SO DRAFT REGULATION 2010-X SAYS
THAT THESE COMPANIES NEED TO
REEVALUATE THEIR TRADEMARK
NAMES, SOME OF THEM THAT HAVE
BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE THE 1960'S
AND REMOVE THOSE THAT THE E.P.A.
DETERMINES ARE MISLEADING TO THE
PUBLIC.
NOW, I SAT DOWN WITH MRS.
JACKSON, THE ADMINISTRATOR OF
THE E.P.A., SHE SMILED AND SAID,
YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T MAKE A
LOT OF SENSE TO ME, I BROUGHT IT
UP IN SUBCOMMITTEE LAST YEAR AND
WITHDREW IT AT THE REQUEST OF
THE THEN MAJORITY SO THEY'D WORK
ON IT.
WELL, IT'S STILL HERE.
AND HERE'S A LIST OF THE WORDS
THAT THEY DETERMINED THAT YOU
CAN'T USE IF YOU'RE IN THE LAWN
FERTILIZER BUSINESS.
GERM SHIELD, 100% PROTECTION,
PROFESSIONAL GRADE, PRO SAFE,
SAFER, SAFEST, NATURAL,
ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE AND GREEN.
NOW, HOLD ON A MINUTE.
THERE'S A COMPANY IN OHIO THAT'S
CALLED SCOTT'S.
I BET A LOT OF PEOPLE USE
SCOTT'S PRODUCTS AND THEY MAKE A
PRODUCT CALLED TURF BUILDER.
THEY ALSO MAKE A PROFIT CALLED
TURF BUILDER PRO.
THIS DRAFT NOTIFICATION TELLS
THEM THEY CAN'T CALL IT PRO
ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S MISLEADING
TO THE PUBLIC.
EVEN THOUGH THE WORD PRO IS
INSTALLED TO CREATE A BRAND
THAT'S SMALL -- THAT SMALL
HARDWARE STORES COULD -- --
COULD SELL, IT'S A NICHE BRAND
FOR SMALLER RETAILERS BUT A YOU
CAN'T CALL THAT IN A ANYMORE.
YOU CAN'T CALL A FERTILIZER
ANYTHING IF IT SAYS GREEN.
NOW, MR. SPEAKER, WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP, MR. CHAIRMAN, WHEN I
WAS GROWING UP, GREEN WAS A
COLOR.
THIS FOLDER WAS GREEN.
NOT ANYMORE.
NOT ANYMORE.
IF I CAN'T DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS
FOLDER HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH
LIVEABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY,
I AM MISLEADING THE PEOPLE THAT
ARE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM.
NOW, THERE'S ANOTHER COMPANY IN
OHIO THAT'S OVER IN TOLEDO, IT'S
CALLED -- THEY HAVE A PRODUCT
CALLED ANDERSON'S GOLF PRO AND
THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY'RE
NOT ALLOWED TO CALL IT GROLVE
PRO ANYMORE BECAUSE YOU DON'T
HAVE TO USE THE SEED AND THE
WEED AND SEED ON THE GOLF
COURSE, YOU COULD USE IT ON YOUR
FRONT LAWN.
SO THEY HAVE TO CALL IT
ANDERSON'S PRO.
THEY CAN'T CALL IT PRO ANYMORE
BECAUSE THAT'S MISLEADING.
SO THEY CAN CALL IT HANDERSON'S
AND HOPE YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT
TO DO WITH IT.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE
REALLY BARELY SCRATCHED THE
SURFACE ON THIS THING BECAUSE
THE PRODUCT THAT SCOTT'S
IS MIRACLE GROW.
MANUFACTURES THAT I LIKE SO MUCH
NOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE, MR.
SPEAKER, HOW IS THE E.P.A. GOING
TO BE ABLE TO CERTIFY WHEN I PUT
THAT MIRACLE GROW ON MY TOMATO
PLANT THAT A MIRACLE HAS
OCCURRED?
YOU'RE GOING TO PUT A TREMENDOUS
BURDEN ON THE VATICAN, ALL THESE
LITTLE OLD LADIES ARE GOING TO
BE AT THE AIRPORT FLYING OVER TO
ROME TO TALK TO THE COLLEGE OF
CARDINALS AND SAY, DID A MIRACLE
OCCUR?
THAT'S WHY SOME OF THESE WRITERS
ARE IN HERE.
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO
PEOPLE.
AND IF THEY WON'T TALK TO YOU,
YOU HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AS IS
CONTEMPLATED BY THE CONSTITUTION
, AS A CO-QUEAM BRANCH OF THE
GOVERNMENT WE'VE DONE THAT AND
-- CO-EQUAL BRANCH OF THE
GOVERNMENT WE'VE DONE THAT AND
I'M SORRY IT OFFENDS SOME OF OUR
COLLEAGUES AND I YIELD BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW JERSEY RISE?
I MOVE TO STRIKE THE LAST
WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, WHEN AMERICANS
THINK OF AMERICA THEY THINK OF
OUR GREAT RESOURCES.
NOW, FOR BIG OIL THAT PROBABLY
MEANS THE OIL THAT'S FOUND ON
PUBLIC LANDS AND OFF OUR SHORES
WHERE THEY CAN GET FOR A SONG
AND CHARGE A FORTUNE, BUT FOR
MOST AMERICANS IT'S THE SPACIOUS
SKIES AND PURPLE MOUNTAIN
MAJESTIES.
AND THIS BILL, THIS
LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE
CONSIDERING HERE NOW HAS NO
APPRECIATION FOR AMERICA'S
PRICELESS RESOURCES.
ACCORDING TO THE LEAGUE OF
CONSERVATION VOTERS, THOUGH,
GOING FARTHER THAN JUST
BEAUTIFUL VISTAS OR PURPLE
MOUNTAIN IMAGINIESTS THIS BILL
IS -- MAJESTY THIS BILL IS THE
BIGGEST, IN THEIR WORDS, BIGGEST
ASSAULT ON THE AIR WE BREATHE,
THE WATER WE DRINK AND THE
WILDLIFE AND WILD PLACES WE HOLD
DEAR EVER TO COME BEFORE
CONGRESS.
CONTINUING THE CLEAN WATER
NETWORK OR THE AMERICAN LUNG
ASSOCIATION OR THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION OR
PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY, THEY ALL GO ON
TO POINT OUT THAT THE BUDGET
CUTS OR POLICY WRITERS IN THIS
LEGISLATION UNDERMINE THE LAWS
THAT PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND
REDUCE HEALTH CARE COSTS BECAUSE
WE WILL LOSE THE PREVENTIONS
THAT HELP REDUCE ADVERSE HEALTH
OUTCOMES.
IT WILL LEAD TO GREATER EXPOSURE
THAT IS CANCEROUS, ASTHMA
ATTACKS, STROKES, EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENT VISITS.
IT IS NOT JUST FOR THE BEAUTY OF
THIS COUNTRY, ALTHOUGH THAT
MIGHT BE REASON ENOUGH TO TRY TO
PRESERVE ALL THESE THINGS, IT IS
FOR THE HEALTH OF AMERICA'S
PEOPLE.
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD PUT
CHILDREN'S HEALTH AT RISK.
AT THE SAME TIME THAT IT WOULD
BE EXEMPTING OIL COMPANIES FROM
COMPLYING WITH CLEAN AIR
STANDARDS.
WE CANNOT TOLERATE THIS.
UNREGULATED DISCHARGE OF
PESTICIDES INTO OUR WATERWAYS,
WITH HOLDING FUNDING FOR --
WITHHOLDING FUNDING FOR WILD
LANDS, ALLOWING URANIUM MINING
ALL AROUND THE GRAND CANYON.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IS AN
UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK AND NOT
JUST ON THOSE THINGS I'VE
MENTIONED, NOT JUST ON
LIFE-SAVING PUBLIC HEALTH
PROTECTIONS AND ESSENTIAL
POLLUTION CONTROL, IT'S AN
ATTACK ON SCIENCE AS WELL.
THIS BILL INCLUDES REDUCTION IN
FUNDING FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY, RESEARCH AND COMPLIMET
AND LAND USE -- COMPLIMET AND --
CLIMATE AND -- CLIMATE AND LAND
USE.
LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE.
THE SATELLITE JUST IN THE PAST
MONTH HAS BEEN USED TO TRACK THE
LARGEST FIRE IN ARIZONA'S
HISTORY.
YET BECAUSE OF THE CUTS THAT
WOULD COME TO PASS THROUGH THIS
LEGISLATION, THE DATA COMING
FROM THE LANDSAT SYSTEM WOULD GO
UNRECORDED, UNANALYZED, UNUSED.
TALK ABOUT FALSE ECONOMY.
AND IT'S AN UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK
-- LANDS.
ON OUR PUBLIC LAND AS.
THE LARGEST CUT IN THE LAND AND
WATER CONSERVATION FUND THAT
MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS
HOUSE HAVE SEEN IN THEIR SERVICE
AND I MUST SAY IT'S PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT TO A STATE LIKE MINE,
NEW JERSEY.
MY CONSTITUENTS RESIDE IN THE
MOST DENSELY POPULATED STEA
STATE IN THE UNION AND YET
THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED AGAIN AND
AGAIN WITH THEIR VOTES THEIR
SUPPORT FOR OPEN SPACE
PRESERVATION, FOR FIGHTING
SPRAWL, FOR PROVIDING THEIR
KIDS, OUR KIDS WITH SAFE PLACES
TO EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THERE IS A LONG
LIST OF QUESTIONS AND A LONG
LIST OF REASONS AND YOU'LL BE
HEARING STILL MORE ABOUT WHY
THIS IS TERRIBLE LEGISLATION.
I YIELD BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM MASSACHUSETTS
RISE?
THE GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED FOR
FIVE MINUTES.
I RISE IN STRONG
OPPOSITION TO THE UNDERLYING
BILL, H.R. 2584, AND AM
DISAPPOINTED THAT MY COLLEAGUES
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE
ARE USING THIS APPROPRIATIONS
PROCESS TO PUT AT RISK THE AIR
THAT WE BREATHE, THE WATER THAT
WE DRINK, OUR PUBLIC LANDS AND
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH.
FOR EXAMPLE, THIS BILL WOULD
DISMANTLE THE CLEAN WATER ACT
WHICH WOULD NOT ONLY UNDERMINE
OUR CONSTITUENTS' ACCESS TO
CLEAN AND HEALTHY WATERWAYS BUT
ALSO WOULD MEAN THE LOSS OF TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS.
MY DISTRICT, THE FIFTH DISTRICT
OF MASSACHUSETTS, IS HOME TO
DOZENS OF REMARKABLE RIVERS AND
STREAMS WHICH ARE A KEY PART OF
THE HISTORY, CULTURE, ECONOMY
AND NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE FIFTH
DISTRICT.
MOST OF OUR RIVERS HAVE
EXCELLENT WATER QUALITY AND IT
IS COMMON ON WARM DAYS TO SEE
PEOPLE SWIMMING, FISHING AND
PADDLING.
BUT OUR RIVERS WERE NOT ALWAYS
SOS WHO PITBLE.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE
MERRIMAC RIVER, ONE OF THE
LARGEST WATERSHEDS IN NEW
ENGLAND, AND THE RIVER THAT
FLOWS THROUGH MY HOMETOWN, WAS A
DEPOSITORY FOR WASTE AND
POLLUTION.
FOR 150 YEARS THE MERRIMAC RIVER
WAS ONE OF THE 10 MOST POLLUTED
RIVERS IN THE COUNTRY.
IT WAS THE CLEAN WATER ACT
ENFORCEMENT OF THE EARLY 1970'S
THAT CHANGED THE FUTURE OF OUR
RIVERS.
BECAUSE OF THE ACT AND THE
ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY AFFORDED
THE E.P.A., A CLEANUP PLAN WAS
PUT IN PLACE AND POLLUTERS AND
VIOLATORS WERE HELD RESPONSIBLE.
SLOWLY THE MERRIMAC AND
SURROUNDING RIVERS WERE
MONITORED AND IMPROVED TO MEET
THE CLEAN WATER STANDARDS WE
TAKE FOR GRANTED TODAY.
THIS IS JUST ONE OH SO FORTUNATE
EXAMPLE BUT RERP CATED ALL
ACROSS OUR COUNTRY -- RECOMMEND
CATED ALL ACROSS OUR COUNTRY TO
OUR GREAT FORTUNATE AND THAT OF
OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
WHILE SOME STATES MAY ADEQUATELY
PROTECT THEIR WATERS ON THEIR
OWN, NOT ALL DO.
AND THAT IS WHY CONGRESS HAS
GIVEN THE E.P.A. THE AUTHORITY
TO PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS UNDER
THE CLEAN WATER ACT.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN
SAFEGUARDS FOR PRIVILEGERS --
RIVERS AND STREAMS, TO ENSURE
THAT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AMERICANS ENJOY THE BENEFIT OF
CLEAN, SAFE WATER.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO REJECT
THE SHORTSIGHTED PROPOSAL TO
UNDERCUT THE CLEAN WATER ACT AND
HELP PROTECT AMERICA'S CLEAN
WATER LEGACY.
THANK YOU AND I YIELD BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES
THE GENTLELADY FROM CONNECTICUT
RISE?
I MOVE TO STRIKE THE LAST
WORD.
THE GENTLELADY IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I RISE IN STRONG
OPPOSITION TO A RECKLESS AND
UNCONSCIONABLE INTERIOR
APPROPRIATIONS BILL PUT FORWARD
BY THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN
MAJORITY.
ONCE AGAIN THEY HAVE PUT A
RADICAL OUT OF TOUCH AGENDA AND
THE DESIRES OF BIG OIL AND
POLLUTERS ABOVE THE INTERESTS OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE NEED TO
CREATE JOBS AND THE HEALTH OF
OUR ENVIRONMENT.
THIS APPROPRIATIONS BILL IS MORE
THAN JUST A DANGER TO THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF AMERICAN FAMILIES,
IT REPRESENTS THE WORST ASSAULT
ON CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER IN
OUR NATION'S HISTORY.
THIS LEGISLATION SLASHES FUNDING
FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY BY 18% AND THE MAJORITY
HAS SHOWN TIME AND TIME AGAIN
THAT IT OPPOSES ANY
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION THAT
MIGHT HURT THE BOTTOM LINE TO
POLLUTERS.
BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.
THIS LEGISLATION ALSO SLASHES
THE CLEAN WATER STATE REVOLVING
FUND WHICH HELPS STATES TO
FINANCE WASTEWATER SYSTEM
IMPROVEMENTS BY PROVIDING 5% OF
THE RESOURCES -- 55% OF THE
RESOURCES MEANING THAT AMERICA'S
SEWAGE AND URBAN RUNOFF
WATERWAYS WILL BE PUT AT RISK OF
POLLUTION AND GOOD MIDDLE CLASS
JOBS WILL BE LOST.
AND IT CUTS THE LAND AND WATER
CONSERVATION FUND WHICH PROTECTS
NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS,
WILDLIFE REFUGEES FROM
DEVELOPMENT BY 78%.
IN ADDITION, THIS PARTISAN
LEGISLATION INCLUDES AT LEAST 38
POLICY WRITERS THAT FOR PURELY
IDEOLOGICAL REASONS WOULD HARM
AMERICAN FAMILIES AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.
THE BILL WOULD PROHIBIT THE
E.P.A. FROM IMPLEMENTING RULES
TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES FROM
POWER PLANT POLLUTION.
IT BLOCKS THE E.P.A. FROM
RESTORING CLEAN WATER
PROTECTIONS FOR MORE THAN HALF
OF OUR NATION'S STREEMS AND 20
MILLION ACRES OF WETLANDS.
MEANING THE DRINKING WATER OF
117 MILLION AMERICANS IS PUT AT
RISK.
IT BLOCKS THE E.P.A. FROM MOVING
FORWARD ON FUEL EFFICIENCY
STANDARDS THAT WILL REDUCE
FOREIGN OIL IMPORTS AND CUT
POLLUTION.
IT BLOCKS THE E.P.A. FROM
REGULATING CARBON POLLUTION AT
POWER PLANTS, REFINERIES AND
INDUSTRIAL SITES AND EVEN STOPS
INDEFINITELY LONG OVERDUE
STANDARDS TO CONTROL AIR
POLLUTION FROM TOXIC MERCURY AND
DANGERING PREGNANT WOMEN,
INFANTS AND CHILDREN.
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD OPEN UP
MORE OF OUR COAST LINES TO
OFFSHORE DRILLING, ONE MILLION
OF ACRES OF LAND AROUND THE
GRAND CANYON, A NATIONAL
TREASURE, TO TOXIC URANIUM
MINING.
MR. SPEAKER, THERE WAS A TIME
WHEN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WERE
KNOWN AS DEFENDERS OF THE
ENVIRONMENT, IT WAS A REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENT, TOAD TEDDY ROOSEVELT,
WHO INAUGURATED THE NATIONAL
FOREST SERVICE AND WHO WORKED TO
CONSERVE 230 MILLION ACRES OF
AMERICANLAND INCLUDING THE GRAND
CANYON WHICH IS NOW PUT AT RISK.
HE CALLED THE CANYON, AND I
QUOTE, A NATIONAL WONDER, WHICH
IS IN KIND ABSOLUTELY
UNPARALLELED THROUGHOUT THE REST
OF THE WORLD.
LEAVE IT AS IT IS, HE SAID, YOU
CANNOT IMPROVE ON IT.
THE AGES HAVE BEEN AT WORK ON IT
AND MAN CAN ONLY MAR IT, END
QUOTE.
MENT
RICHARD NIXON BROUGHT LIFE
AGENCY.
TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
ANOTHER PRESIDENT, JOSH BUSH
SENIOR EXPANDED THE CLEAN AIR
ACT EVEN FURTHER TO PROTECT
AMERICANS' HEALTH.
AND YET, TODAY, REPUBLICAN
MAJORITY BRINGS US AN INTERIOR
APPROPRIATIONS BILL WHICH UNDOES
ALL OF THIS GOOD WORK, WHICH
ENDANGER AMERICAN FAMILIES
THREATENS TO DO PERMANENT DAMAGE
TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES IN THE
MAJORITY KS RETURN TO YOUR ROOTS
TO ONCE AGAIN PUT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE BEFORE THE INTERESTS OF
POLLUTERS AND TO OPPOSE THIS
DISASTROUS LEGISLATION.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE GENTLELADY YIELDS
BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK RISE?
I MOVE TO STRIKE THE
LAST WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I RISE IN OPPOSITION
TO THE UNDERLYING BILL.
INSTEAD OF WORK OING A
BIPARTISAN SOLUTION TO ADDRESS
THE LOOMING DEFAULT CRISIS OR TO
CREATE AMERICAN JOBS, TODAY
HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE BROUGHT
TO THE FLOOR H.R. 2485, WHICH
WOULD GUT POLLUTION CONTROLS AND
HEALTH PROTECTIONS TO GIVE
BIGGER PROFITS TO BIG OIL AND
OTHER SPECIAL INTEREST
POLLUTERS.
BY ATTACHING THREE DOZEN POLICY
RIDERS TO THIS BILL, THEY ARE
ATTEMPTING TO USE THIS TO MAKE
BACK DOOR CHANGES OF FEDERAL
LAWS THAT PROTECTS CLEAN WATER,
AIR, LAND AND WILDLIFE.
IT WOULD CRIP WILL FEDERAL
AGENCIES CHARGED WITH PROTECTING
AMERICAN CITIZENS AND OUR
NATURAL RESOURCES.
THIS IS A NEW LOW FOR THE 112TH
CONGRESS WHICH HAS SEEN THE NEW
HOUSE G.O.P. MAJORITY OVERTURN
THE CLEAN WATER ACT AND REPEAL
ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS AND
PULL THE PLUG ON AMERICAN JOBS
AND CLEAN ENERGY INNOVATION AND
MANUFACTURING.
NOW THIS LEGISLATION WOULD
OVERTURN 40 YEARS OF BIPARTISAN
PROGRESS, PROTECTING THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.
ONE AREA I CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON IS
THEY CONTINUE TO TAX THE CLEAN
AIR ACT WHICH HAVE SAVED
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LIVES
AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF
AMERICANS OF EVERY STATE AND
PROTECTS THE AIR WE BREATHE AND
WATER WE DRINK.
IT PROTECTS OUR CHILDREN FROM
DEVELOPING ASTHMA AND OUR
SENIORS.
ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN LUNG
ASSOCIATION IN 2010 ALONE, THE
CLEAN AIR ACT SAVED OVER 160,000
LIVINGS.
SINCE 1990, THE CLEAN AIR ACT
PREVENTED 384,000 ASTHMA ATTACKS
AND 672,000 CASES OF CHRONIC
BRON KITE IS AND IT IS CLEAR
THAT THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IS
DOING ALL IT CAN TO STOP E.P.A.
FROM CARRYING OUT ITS MISSION OF
PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.
MANY WILL CLAIM THAT THE E.P.A.
IS MOVING AT A FASTER PACE THAN
ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATION IN
HISTORY.
HOWEVER, THE E.P.A. HAS PROPOSED
FEWER CLEAN AIR ACT RULES UNDER
PRESIDENT OBAMA OVER THE PAST 24
MONTHS THAN THE FIRST TWO YEARS
OF EITHER PRESIDENT BUSH OR
PRESIDENT CLINTON.
THAT IS WHY IN DECEMBER OF 2010,
280 GROUPS INCLUDING THE
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION,
AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION,
AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH
ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS SENT A
LETTER URGING THE CONGRESS TO
REJECT ANY MEASURE THAT WOULD
BLOCK OR DELAY THE UNITED STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FROM DOING ITS JOB TO PROTECT
ALL AMERICANS FROM
LIFE-THREATENING AIR POLLUTION.
THIS BILL, AN APPROPRIATION
BILL, IS NOT THE PLACE TO
LEGISLATE THESE TYPE OF CHANGES.
THESE SHOULD BE POLICY CHANGES
NOT MADE DURING THIS PROCESS.
THE CLEAN AIR ACT IS PROMOTING
INNOVATION AND BREAKING
AMERICANS' OIL DEPENDENCE, BUT
REPUBLICANS WOULD GIVE BIG
POLLUTERS A LOOPHOLE TO ROLL
BACK OUR CLEAN ENERGY PROGRESS
AND CONTINUE OUR ADDICTION TO
FOREIGN OIL.
THE CLEAN AIR ACT IS GOOD FOR
THE ECONOMY.
MANY STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE
CLEAN AIR ACT ECONOMIC BENEFITS
FAR EXCEED ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE LAW BY 40 TO 1 RATIO.
AS PRESIDENT OBAMA SO ELOQUENTLY
SPOKE OF DURING HIS STATE OF THE
UNION ADDRESS, WE MUST
OUTINNOVATE, OUTEDUCATE AND
OUTBUILD OUR GLOBAL COMPETITORS
AND WIN BACK THE FUTURE.
PROTECT THE AIR OUR CHILDREN
BREATHE, ALLOW OIL COMPANIES,
COMPANIES THAT ARE REAPING
RECORD PROFITS, THE ABILITY TO
SPREAD POLLUTION INTO THE AIR
JUST TO PLEASE A LOBBYIST OR BIG
OIL CORPORATION IS IRRESPONSIBLE
AND YES, EXTREME.
THE CLEAN AIR ACT HAS BEEN ON
THE BOOKS FOR DECADES WITH
POSITIVE RESULTS FOR OUR
BUSINESSES.
ECONOMY, OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR
ROLLING BACK THESE PROBINGS WILL
HURT OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
WE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO GO
BACKWARD.
AND WITH THAT, I THANK YOU AND
YIELD BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM RHODE ISLAND RISE
SNR
I MOVE TO STRIKE
THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I
THE BILL BEFORE
US REPRESENTS AN ASSAULT ON
CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER AND LAND
CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN OUR
COUNTRY.
TO BE CLEAR, PASSAGE OF THIS
MEASURE IS AN ABSOLUTE
ABANDONMENT OF THIS BODY'S
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE FOR
THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE
UNITED STATES.
THIS BILL SERIOUSLY UNDERMINES
THE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES THAT WE
HAVE MADE AS A COUNTRY AS
RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF OUR LAND
AND NATURAL RESOURCES, OUR
WILDLIFE, OUR AIR AND OUR WATER.
AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY,
THIS LEGISLATION IS A THREAT TO
AMERICANS.
THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ALL
SOME HAVE ARGUED THAT THE RIDERS
ATTACHED TO THIS BILL ARE
SENSIBLE AND AN ATTEMPT TO REIN
THE EXCESSES OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
AND JOB-KILLING REGULATIONS.
THIS IS AN ABSURD CLAIM.
THIS LEGISLATION IS NOTHING MORE
THAN A COMPLETE CAVEG IN TO
SPECIAL INTERESTS AND BILL OIL
AND SOME OF OUR NATION'S WORST
POLLUTERS.
FOR THE PEOPLE I REPRESENT IN
THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
OF RHODE ISLAND, THE STUNNING
REDUCTIONS TO THE E.P.A. AND THE
RELATED POLICY RIDERS THAT
STRIKE AGAINST THE BEGINS WE'VE
MADE TO CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN
WATER ARE A THREAT TO PUBLIC
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT.
LET ME GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE.
ACCORDING TO REPORTS FROM THE
RHODE ISLAND CLEAN WATER ACTION,
RHODE ISLAND HAS THE THRIRD
HIGHEST RATE OF CHILDHOOD ASTHMA
IN THE NORTHEAST AND FIFTH
HIGHEST NATIONALLY.
THE STATE SPENT $360 MILLION
PROVIDING HEALTH CARE.
WHAT'S MORE, 27,000 RHODE ISLAND
CHILDREN CURRENTLY SUFFER FROM
AS MASS. THE AVERAGE HOPIZATION
STAY FOR CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA IS
TWO DAYS WITH COST OF,-- $7,840.
THE DRASTIC REDUCTIONS AND THE
ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL RIDERS IN
THIS BILL THREATEN OUR AIR AND
WATER QUALITY AND HAVE REAL AND
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES ON REAL
PEOPLE AND REAL FAMILIES,
INCREASING HEALTH CARE COSTS,
ADDITIONAL LOST DAYS OF WORK AND
PRODUCTIVITY AND DETRIMENTAL
LONG-TERM HEALTH AND
CHILDREN.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONQUENSES FOR OUR
THIS SLASHES FUNDING THAT IS
ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING OUR
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH
BUT PROTECTS STATE AND LOCAL
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS BILL SETS THE FUND AT 55%
BELOW THE F.Y. 2011.
THE BILL SETS THE STATE DRINKING
WATER FUND 50% BELOW 2011.
I WOULD LIKE TO READ AN EXCERPT
FROM THE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT OF
THE ENTITY CHARGED WITH
ADMINISTERING FEDERAL AND STATE
PROGRAMS RELATING TO MUNICIPAL
WASTE WATER AND DRINKING WATER.
A REVOLVING FUND ALLOWS FOR THE
PERPTRAL FUNDS TO ALLOW UNITS BY
PROVIDING LOANS AND OTHER FORMS
OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
OUR PRIMARY GOALS IS TO PROVIDE
MEANS TO REDUCE POLLUTION, HELP
PROVIDE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND
LOW INTEREST LOANS TO CITIES AND
TOWNS TO REPAIR SUBSTANDARD
SEPTIC SYSTEMS.
AT THIS MOMENT, WE ARE WORKING
TO REIN OUR PUBLIC DEBT.
WE NEED TO BE SMART.
CONSIDER THE MISSION OF THIS
STATE AGENCY'S WHOSE EFFORTS ARE
SUPPORTED TO PROMOTE LOW-COST
MEANS TO REDUCE POLLUTION CAUSED
BY WASTE WATER AND PROVIDE SAFE
DRINKING WATER.
THESE ARE OBJECTIVES TO SAFE
GURD THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
OF RHODE ISLANDERS AND MEN AND
WOMEN ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
WHAT IS THE RESPONSE FROM OUR
FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE, CUT
PROGRAMS BY MORE THAN $1
BILLION.
WE COULD NO LONGER TRY TO FOOL
OURSELVES WITH THE MISGUIDED
BELIEF THAT CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS,
ESPECIALLY THOSE SUPPORTED BY
STATE REVOLVING FUNDS THAT
PROTECT OUR HEALTH AND
ENVIRONMENT ARE GOING TO BE LESS
EXPENSIVE OVER TIME.
REDUCING FEDERAL FUNDS THAT
SUPPORT THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS
TO IMPROVE OUR WATER AND WASTE
WATER SYSTEMS WILL INSITE
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND WILL
MAKE FUTURE PROJECTS MORE
EXPENSIVE AND WILL INCREASE THE
LIKELIHOOD OF INFRASTRUCTURE
FAILURES THAT THREATEN PUBLIC
HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT AND
IMPEDE ECONOMIC GROWTH.
THESE WILL COST US MORE IN THE
LONG RUN.
SOME HAVE CALLED THIS BILL THE
WORST ASSAULT ON CLEAN AIR AND
CLEAN WATER IN HISTORY.
I SFRONGLY URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO
REJECT THIS ASSAULT ON THE
HEALTH, WELFARE AND ECONOMIC
VITALITY OF OUR STATES, OUR
CITIES AND OUR TOWNS.
LET US NOT BE KNOWN AS THE
CONGRESS WHO BETRAYED OUR SOLEMN
RESPONSIBILITY TO BE GOOD
STEWARDS OF THE EARTH.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO REJECT
THIS BILL AND I YIELD BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM GEORGIA RISE?
I MOVE TO STRIKE
THE LAST WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I MOVE TO STRIKE
THE LAST WORD.
HAVING SET SAIL IN SEARCH OF NEW
SHORES FOR PIRAT INNING, THE
G.O.P. IS LOST AT SEA UNDER
MISGUIDED LEADERSHIP.
UNDER THE GUISE OF AUSTERITY AND
DEFICIT REDUCTION, THEY HAVE
PLOTTED OUR NATION ON A FATEFUL
COURSE THAT WILL ONLY RESURGE IN
THE TORRENTS OF SEWAGE,
UNTREATED CHEMICALS AND OTHER
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INTO OUR
RIVERS, STREAMS AND CREEKS ALONG
WITH FACTORIES, PLANTS AND
REFINERIES BILCHING SMOKE, SMOG
AND MERCURY INTO OUR BLUE SKIES.
SICK CHILDREN AND THE AGED WHO
SUFFER FROM ASTHMA, RESPIRATORY
ILLNESSES, THEY'LL GET SICKER
AND SICKER, WHILE OIL AND GAS
COMPANIES AND MINING COMPANIES
GET FATTER AND FATTER.
MR. CHAIR, I -- AS I SEE IT,
THIS BILL IS NOTHING MORE THAN
AN ATTEMPT TO REMOVE 40 YEARS OF
FEDERAL LAWS THAT PROTECT OUR
AIR, WATER, LAND AND WILDLIFE.
ONLY IN A REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED
HOUSE WOULD WE INCREASE ACCESS
TO OIL AND GAS LEASES WHILE
REDUCING OUR ABILITY TO ENSURE
DRILLING OPERATIONS ARE
ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE.
ONLY IN A REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED
HOUSE WOULD WE REDUCE THE
ABILITY OF STATES TO SAFELY
MANAGE THEIR SEWAGE AND WASTE
WATER RUNOFF.
AND MR. SPEAKER, ONLY IN A
REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS
WOULD WE ALLOW MORE URANIUM
MINING NEAR THE GRAND CANYON.
MR. SPEAKER, THESE EFFORTS ARE
OPPOSED BY THE MAJORITY OF
AMERICANS WHO BELIEVE IN
OVERSIGHT OF DRILLING
OPERATIONS, PROTECTION FROM
TAINTED DRINKING WATER AND THOSE
WHO BELIEVE THE GRAND CANYON
WITH ALL OF ITS MAJESTIC BEAUTY,
SHOULD BE A NATURAL NATIONAL
TREASURE FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF
FAMILIES AND TOURISTS, NOT A
WASTELAND LAID BEAR BY MINING
COMPANIES WHOSE APPETITE FOR
PROFITS IS EQUALED BY THE AMOUNT
OF DAMAGE THEY WOULD INFLICT
UPON OUR ENVIRONMENT.
THESE AREN'T THE RANTS AND RAVES
OF LIBERALS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS
HELL BENT ON PROTECTING NATURE
AT ALL COSTS, BUT SENTIMENTS OF
RED-BLOODED AMERICANS WHO
BELIEVE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES
LIKE THE GRAND CANYON IMPROVE
OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DON'T WANT
PROGRESS IF IT MEANS OUR SKIES
GET DARK YEAR AND OUR WATERS
MURK YEAR AND THEY DON'T WANT
OUR WILDLIFE TO GO EXTINCT.
BUT THAT WOULD BE THE EFFECT OF
THIS BILL IF THIS ILL-GOTTEN
MEASURE PASSES.
MR. SPEAKER, DAY AFTER DAY, WEEK
AFTER WEEK AND MONTH AFTER
MONTH, HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAND
OUT LIFE PRESERVERS TO SPECIAL
INTERESTS WHILE KICKING AMERICAN
PEOPLE OVERBOARD LIKE THE
BUNDLED TEA KICKED OVERBOARD BY
THE REAL TEA PARTIERS AT THE
START OF THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION.
SURE OUR CHILDREN HAVE ASTHMA
BUT BIG BUSINESS GETS TO PUMP
MORE POLLUTION INTO OUR AIR.
SURE OUR WATER IS TAINTED, BUT
SPECIAL INTERESTS GET TO DUMP
RUNOFF IN OUR STREAMS.
YES, OUR ENDANGERED SPECIES
SLOWLY FADING AWAY, BUT NOW WE
CAN DRILL IN THEIR HABITAT.
WHAT HAPPENS, MR. SPEAKER WHEN
OUR AIR BECOMES TOO DIRTY TO
BREATHE, WHEN OUR WATER BECOMES
TOO DIRTY TO DRINK AND WHEN OUR
WILDLIFE ALL GO EXTINCT?
I URGE A NO VOTE ON THIS BILL,
BUT BEFORE I CLOSE, I WOULD LIKE
TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS
THE AISLE THAT THE CAPTAIN
ALWAYS GOES DOWN WITH THE SHIP.
.
AND THAT'S THE REAL DEAL.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM TEXAS RISE?
THE GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED
FOR FIVE MINUTES.
COLLEAGUES,
MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MIGHT, I
WANTED TO START BY
ACKNOWLEDGING THE LOSS OF OUR
VALIANT CAPITOL POLICE, OFFICER
JACOB J. CHESTNUT AND DETECTIVE
JOHN GIBSON OF WHICH WERE
HONORED TODAY AND JUST WANTED
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MEN AND
WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES
CAPITOL POLICE FOR THEIR
SERVICE AND MY SYMPATHY, AGAIN,
TO THE FAMILIES OF OFFICER
CHESTNUT AND DETECTIVE JOHN
GIBSON.
I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE NOTE OF
MY WORSHIPING WITH THE
NORWEGIAN ***'S CHURCH
YESTERDAY IN HOUSTON AND LET
THE NORWEGIAN PEOPLE AND THE
PEOPLE OF NORWAY KNOW THAT
AMERICA STANDS WITH THEM DURING
THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
I THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE TRAGEDIES
BECAUSE IT IS A TIME WHEN WE
HAVE HAD TO COME TOGETHER AND I
ALSO BELIEVE THAT AS WE LOOK AT
WHERE WE ARE TODAY, THERE
SHOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US
TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER, SO
I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THIS
LEGISLATION BECAUSE IT REALLY
DOES NOT SEEM TO CALL US TO DO
THAT.
I WANT TO REMIND AMERICA AND MY
COLLEAGUES THAT WE ARE 50
STATES, BUT THERE ARE TIMES
WHEN WE ACT ON BEHALF OF OUR
STATES AND DISTRICTS, BUT THERE
ARE TIMES WHEN IT IS IMPORTANT
TO EXIST AS A SINGLE NATION.
ONE SINGLE STATE DID NOT DEFEND
THE NATION AFTER THE ATTACKS ON
PEARL HARBOR WE CAME TOGETHER.
ONE STATE ON ITS OWN OR ONE
REGION DID NOT END SEGREGATION
AND ESTABLISH CIVIL RIGHTS.
WE DID IT TOGETHER.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE STAKES
ARE SO HIGH THAT WE SIMPLY MUST
UNITE.
SO I RAISE THE QUESTION OF
WHERE ARE WE WITH THIS BILL
THAT SEEMS TO ATTACK BOTH CLEAN
AIR AND CLEAN WATER BY
REPEALING REQUIREMENTS THAT
PREVENT PESTICIDE SPRAY FROM
CHEMICAL COMPANIES FROM
ENTERING RIVERS AND STREAMS.
I COME FROM THE ENERGY SECTOR.
I BELIEVE THAT THE ENERGY
SECTOR CREATES JOBS.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BE A
GOOD NEIGHBOR, STRONG IN OUR
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENT AND
PRODUCTION, BUT ALSO CONCERNED
ABOUT CLEAN AIR.
WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THOSE WHO
HAVE WORKED IN THIS AREA FOR SO
LONG, YOU HEAR OPPOSITION FROM
THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY THAT
SAYS THIS IS AN EXTREME ASSAULT
ON AMERICA'S BEDROCK
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
THE CLEAN WATER NETWORK THAT
SAYS THESE SEVERE SPENDING AND
BUDGETARY CUTS IN THIS BILL
INCLUDES NOT ONLY CUT BUS A
SERIES OF POLICY RIDERS REALLY
HAVING NO PLACE IN THE
APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS.
AND THE AMERICAN LUNG
ASSOCIATION, THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION,
PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY, BUDGET CUTS OR
POLICY RIDERS WOULD IMPACT
E.P.A.'S ABILITY TO DO THEIR
JOB.
I DON'T KNOW IF OUR MEMBERS
REALIZE THAT IN 2011, WE CUT
16% FROM THE E.P.A.
NOW WE WANT TO CUT 18%, OVER
$1.5 BILLION.
THAT CRIPPLES THE VERY AGENCY
THAT PROTECT OURS WATER AND OUR
AIR.
PROTECTS OUR CHILDREN AND OUR
ELDERLY.
WHAT IS THE RESPONSE TO OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO BE THE
CUSTODIANS OF THIS WONDERFUL
NATION?
HAVE.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY WE
THEN TO HEAR THAT ANOTHER 1/3
IS BEING CUT FROM THE NATIONAL
LAND SAFE AND CONSERVATION
SYSTEM THAT DOES MONUMENTS AND
TRAILS AND WILD RIVERS.
HOW MANY FAMILIES PACK UP IN
TIMES THAT ARE HARD AND TAKE A
ROAD TRIP TO TRAVEL THE BEAUTY
OF THIS NATION, THE TALL
MOUNTAIN THE DEEP VALLEYS AND
THE WONDERFUL RIVERS?
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THIS
LEGISLATION WILL DO, IT WILL BE
A LITANY OF ADDITIONAL CUTS, IT
WILL CUT FISH AND WILDLIFE AND
THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.
IT ASSAULTS WHAT WE'RE TRYING
TO DO HERE IN AMERICA.
HOW MANY FRIENDS KNOW THAT WE
HAVE HAD OVER 230,000 DEATHS
EACH YEAR BECAUSE OF THE LACK
OF REGULATING TOXINS IN THE
AIR?
OR LET ME CORRECT THAT AND SAY,
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROTECT
230,000 DEATHS EACH YEAR BY
REGULATING TOXINS IN THE AIR.
WE'VE HEARD MY COLLEAGUES COME
TO THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE AND
TALK ABOUT THE RISING INCREASE
IN MANY CITIES OF ASTHMA.
LET ME MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.
WE WANT TO CREATE JOBS.
I'VE JOINED TOGETHER WHERE WE
CAN DEREGULATE AND DE-ENTANGLE
THE REGULATIONS THAT WOULD KEEP
US FROM CREATING JOBS.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE WHEN IT
COMES TO PROTECTING THE
NATION'S ASSETS, WE JOIN
TOGETHER AS REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS.
I REMIND YOU THAT NONE OF THIS
CREATES JOBS, I REMIND YOU THAT
WE HAVE ALREADY ENGAGED IN
THESE CUTS.
ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT IN
REGULAR ORDER, WE'RE NOW DOING,
EVEN THOUGH THERE'S
DISAGREEMENT, WHAT OUR FRIENDS
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE
SAID THEY CAN'T DO, THAT'S WHY
THEY'RE NOT RAISING THE DEBT
CEILING.
I WILL TELL YOU THESE DRACONIAN
CUTS ALONG WITH THESE DRACONIAN
THE PATE ON THE DEBT CEILING IS
GOING TOUNDS MINE AMERICA.
THE GENTLELADY'S
TIME HAS EXPIRED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA
RISE?
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE.
THE GENTLELADY IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I RISE TO STRIKE
THE LAST WORD AND RISE IN
STRONG OPPOSITION TO THIS
RECKLESS BILL AND THE ABUNDANCE
OF EXTRANEOUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE
PROVISIONS IT CONTAINS.
WE'RE DOWN TO THE WIRE ON
DEFAULTING ON OUR DEBT.
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON A WAY
FORWARD, THE MAJORITY IS
OFFERING UP THIS PIECE OF
ILL-CONCEIVED LEGISLATION, A
BILL THAT IS POLLUTED WITH
UNRELATED AND INAPPROPRIATE
RIDERS THAT DO NOT BELONG IN A
SPENDING BILL.
THE REALITY IS THAT THESE
RIDERS WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE
IMPACT ON OUR NATIONAL DEFICIT.
BUT THEY WILL HAVE A HUGE AND
LASTING EFFECT ON OUR HEALTH,
OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND OUR
NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO WHY ARE THESE PROGRAMS BEING
TARGETED?
WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE WITH
H.R. 1 EARLIER THIS YEAR.
WE'RE SEEING IT AGAIN NOW.
THE MAJORITY IS CHOOSING TO
REWARD BIG OIL AND POLLUTERS AT
THE EXPENSE OF THE AIR WE
BREATHE, THE WATER WE DRINK AND
THE WILDLIFE AND WILD PLACES WE
HOLD DEAR.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IT'S NOT AN
EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT THIS
BILL DRASTICALLY UNDERMINED OUR
GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO PROTECT
OUR ENVIRONMENT.
THIS BILL YEP ARDIESES THE
CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF
PLACES LIKE THE TAMIL ISLANDS
NATIONAL PARK IN MY
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
CLOSING A QUARTER OF NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, AFFECTING PLACES LIKE
THE GUADELOUPE DUNES NEAR SANTA
MARIA, SLASHING SUPPORT FOR
FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT
OUR OUTSTANDING NATURAL AREAS
LIKE THE PIEDRAS BLANCAS LIGHT
STATION.
OPENING UP PROTECTED AND
SENSITIVE AREAS IN CALIFORNIA'S
NATIONAL FOREST TO OFFROAD
VEHICLE USE, PUTTING PLACES
LIKE LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST
AT RISK AND BLOCKING THE
PROTECTION OF WILDERNESS
QUALITY LAND.
AS THE BILL STANDS, IT WOULD
BAR NEW LISTINGS OF THREATENED
AND ENDANGERED SPECIES AS WELL
AS CRITICAL HABITATS.
IT WOULD GUT THE FUND THAT
AND WATERS.
PRESERVES IRREPLACEABLE LAND
UNDER THIS DISASTER OF A BILL,
THE LWCS WILL BE REDUCED TO ITS
LOWEST LEVEL IN ITS 40-YEAR
HISTORY AND WHO WILL BENEFIT
FROM THIS CUT?
NOT THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER,
BECAUSE THIS IS PAID FOR
THROUGH OFFSHORE DRILLING
REVENUES.
INSTEAD, COMMUNITIES WILL LOSE
JOBS.
BUT THIS ASSAULT ISN'T LIMITED
TO LANDS AND WILDLIFE THIS
DIRTY LEGISLATION IS ALSO
LITTERED WITH RIDERS THAT SEEK
TO GUT THE PROTECTIONS OF THE
CLEAN WATER AN CLEAN AIR ACT
SUCH AS PREVENTING THE E.P.A.
FROM STRENGTHENING LIMITATIONS
ON POLLUTING STORM WATER
RUNOFF, BLOCKING THE WATER USE
BY POWER PLANTS, IMPIDING THE
CLARIFICATION OF WHICH STREAMS
AND WETLANDS ARE PROTECTED
UNDER THE ACT.
UNDER THE HOUSE SPENDING PLAN,
THE REVOLVING FUNDS WILL ALSO
SEE SIGNIFICANT TUTS.
THESE ARE THE FUNDS ESTABLISHED
FOR STATES TO COMPLETE WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS,
PROJECTS WHICH CREATE JOBS AND
PROVIDE CLEAN, SAFE DRINKING
WATER.
THE RIDERS IN THIS BILL, MR.
CHAIRMAN, ARE ALSO AN ASSAULT
ON THE VERY AIR WE BREATHE.
THEY WOULD PREVENT THE E.P.A.
FROM LIMITING CARBON POLLUTION
FROM POWER PLANTS AND OTHER
STATIONARY SOURCES, FROM
UPDADING LIMITS ON SMOG AND
MERCURY EMISSIONS.
ONE RIDER WOULD BLOCK THE
E.P.A. FROM SETTING NEW MILEAGE
STANDARDS FOR CARS AND WON'T
ALLOW THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
TO SET ITS OWN STANDARDS.
SURELY WE CAN THINK OF BETTER
SOLUTIONS TO SOLVE OUR FISCAL
PROBLEMS RATHER THAN ATTACKS
OUR AIR, WATER AN LANDS.
SADLY, THIS BILL DEEPLY
UNDERMINES OUR IMPORTANT ROLE
OF PASSING ON AN AMERICA WHOSE
LAND, WATER AND AIR ARE CLEAN,
HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE, BEAUTIFUL
AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL TO
ENJOY.
I STRONGLY URGE MY COLLEAGUES
TO VOTE NO ON THIS TERRIBLE,
TERRIBLE BILL.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE GENTLELADY
YIELDS BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WISCONSIN RISE?
I MOVE TO STRIKE THE LAST
WORD.
THE GENTLEMAN IS