Date: 2011-09-23
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I rise today to support my amendment. I call my amendment "Can We All Get Along?" It is an amendment simply to ask that all of those who are impacted by this proposed legislation have an expanded time to be able to present their views. It is a "can we all get along?"-type amendment because it is important to note again that those of us who come from different States. whether its Illinois or Texas. recognize that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air Act were formulated under a bipartisan Congress and were signed. as my colleague reminded us. by President Richard Nixon. Republicans and Democrats voted for the Clean Air Act and for the Environmental Protection Agencys jurisdiction. Its important to note that there is not only a value in what the EPA does but that there are organizations. such as the American Lung Association. the American Thoracic Society. the Physicians for Social Responsibility. the American Public Health Association. and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. which need their input and are concerned about this legislation. So my concern as we move forward on the transparency and regulatory analysis of impact is how much time has been given for the public comment. My State. in fact. has been impacted for the lack thereof of public comment. I believe that there are civilians who are not businesses who should be protected and given the opportunity to have input. For example. its important to note that the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule. which I dont think my colleagues can in any way dissuade me from believing. has been the basis of preventing 17.000 premature deaths. 11.000 heart attacks. 120.000 cases of aggravated asthma. 12.000 hospital and emergency room visits. 11.000 cases of bronchitis. and 850.000 missed days. The idea of putting a superlayer over the already existing regulatory scheme. to me. sounds like we are adhering to the supercommittee concept. which many of us. by way of absolute necessity. voted on during the debt ceiling debate. but we realize that the responsibility of the purse strings is in the United States House of Representatives. Well. the law has given authority to the EPA and to the Clean Air Act as its authorizing aspect to be able to control and balance. I believe we should create jobs. but the question becomes whether or not the TRAIN Act. in the format of adding another layer of review. actually does thator does it create another level of bureaucracy that we neither want nor need? At a time when these regulations will both decrease health costs and can create thousands of jobs. why would my colleagues propose a bill that would only slow job growth? It has been 260 days. I think we should. as I started out. get along. try to create jobs. recognize the value of the EPA. find a way to be able to resolve the present conflict on the CrossState Air Pollution Rule but not eliminate the authority and the oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency. What I would say to my colleagues is that the EPA has protected all of our constituents. Therefore. I think its important to pass this amendment because its about constituents. Its about constituents no matter what side of the aisle theyre on. This is an amendment that moves the public comment from 90 days to 120 days. There may have been some who wanted to comment who cannot comment because they did not have the amount of time. So I would ask my colleagues to support this "can we all get along?" amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.