Date: 2011-07-25
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Colleagues. Mr. Chairman. if I might. I just wanted to start by acknowledging the loss of our valiant Capitol Police. Officer Jacob J. Chestnut and Detective John M. Gibson. who were honored today. I 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 M. Gibson. I also wanted to make note of my worshipping with the Norwegian Seamens Church yesterday in Houston and let the Norwegian people and the people of Norway. of course. 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. this should be an opportunity for us to be able to come together. So Im 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 and 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. And 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 pesticides sprayed from chemical companies from entering rivers and streams? I come from the energy sector. and 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. clean water and the environment. When you listen to those who have worked in this area for so long. you hear opposition from the Wilderness Society that says this Interior bill is an extreme assault on Americas bedrockenvironmental protection. the Clean Water Network that says these severe spending and budgetary cuts in this bill include not only cuts but 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. these budget cuts and/or policy riders would impact EPAs ability to do their job. I dont know if our Members realize that in 2011 we cut 16 percent from the EPA. now we want to cut 18 percent. over $1.5 billion. That cripples the very agency that protects our 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? What a beautiful country we have. And then to hear that another onethird is being cut from the National Landscape and Conservation System that does monuments and trails and our wild rivers. How many families pack up in times that are hard and take those family members on a road trip to travel the beauty of this Nationthe tall mountains. the deep valleys. and the wonderful rivers? Well. let me tell you what this legislation will do. It will be a bill with a litany of additional cuts. important for programs that cut climate change prevention programs. the Fish and Wildlife. and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. It is a program that. in essence. assaults what were trying to do here in America. How many friends know that we have been able to prevent 230.000 deaths each year by regulating toxins in the air? Weve already heard my colleagues come to the floor of the House and talk about the rising increase in many cities of asthma. So let me make it very clear: We want to create jobs. I have joined together where we can deregulate and deentangle the regulations that would keep us from creating jobs. But I also believe that when it comes to protecting the Nations 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. Isnt it interesting that in regular order we are now doing. even though there is disagreement. what our friends on the other side of the aisle said they cant do? Thats why theyre not raising the debt ceiling. But I will tell you that these draconian cuts. along with the draconian debate on the debt ceiling. is what is going to undermine America. Lets stand as Americans unified to fix this crisis. First. I would like to thank my friends in the Congressional Progressive Caucus who are here today to stand up for the environment. and the health of our constituents. I am saddened that so many of my Republican friends are willing to sacrifice the quality of the very air we breathe. and water that we drink. This harmful legislation cuts the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by 18 percent. in addition to a 16 percent cut in funding for FY 2011. This is unacceptable. in order to protect the environment without harming industry. we must reach a compromise instead of haphazardly slashing the EPA budget. The cuts to the EPA budget included in the bill reduce funding for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. grants for state implementation of environmental programs. and restorative funding for the Great Lakes. Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound. The Administration estimates that cuts to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund will cut off funding for nearly 400 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects. resulting in thousands of lost jobs. These cuts purposefully limit the EPAs ability to ensure that all Americans have access to drinking water that does not contain harmful pathogens and toxins that expose Americans to serious risks. such as typhoid. hepatitis. cancer. and organ damage. This legislation has attached several riders to further undermine the Clean Water Act. by repealing requirements that prevent pesticides sprayed by chemical companies from entering rivers and streams. and stopping the EPA from treating coal ash as hazardous waste. The assault on public health does not stop with the quality of our drinking water. this bill also takes drastic steps to weaken the Clean Air Act. A rider is attached that will prevent the EPA from implementing the CrossState Air Pollution Rule. a regulation that was implemented to protect the public from dangerous air pollution and prevent up to 34.000 premature deaths. 15.000 heart attacks. and 400.000 cases of aggravated asthmas. As a Representative of the 18th District of Houston. I am firmly committed to protecting the air we breathe. the water we drink. and the land we need for our survival. Since 1999. Houston has exchanged titles with Los Angeles for the poorest air quality in the nation. The poor air quality is attributed to the amount of aerosols. particles of carbon and sulfates in the air. The carcinogens found in the air have been known to cause cancer. particularly in children. The EPA is the very agency charged with issuing regulations that would address this serious problem. Those regulations should be of course fair while doing the job they are intended to do. But. my friends. the disregard this bill shows for the health of the American people does not stop there. Another rider prohibits the EPA from finalizing regulations to reduce mercury emissions from factories. There is no reason why Energy. jobs creation and the environment cannot work harmoniously. Not only does this legislation irresponsibly eradicate life saving provisions of the Clean Air and Water Acts. it also cuts the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) budget by 78 percent. The LWCF funds many park and outdoor recreation areas that contribute over $700 billion to the economy and facilitate 6.5 million jobs. This bill makes a litany of additional cuts to important programs that cut climate change prevention programs. the Fish and Wildlife Service. and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. It is full of perks for special interest. and reduces our ability to facilitate the upkeep of National Parks. protect the Grand Canyon. and add species to the endangered species list. I am outraged that my friends on the other side of the aisle would consider passing this legislation that compromises our access to healthy air and clean water. that reverses EPA regulations that were implemented to save lives. Public lands. national parks. the air. the water. the wildlife in this nation belongs to everyone. and I cannot support a bill that trades the quality of these precious resources for benefits to big business and special interest groups. There are times in which we are 50 states. and times when we exist as a single. united. nation. One single state did not defend the nation after the attacks on Pearl Harbor. One state. on its own. did not end segregation and establish Civil Rights. There are times when the stakes are too high. when we must unite as states and act as one. Our Nations parks are maintained by the National Park Service. The Park Service is responsible for preserving. restoring. and maintaining our Nations monuments for the enjoyment of all Americans. Recently. the Martin Luther King. Jr.. National Memorial has joined other historic sites on our Nations Mall. Martin Luther King. Jr.. gave his life in the pursuit of a dream. His "I Have a Dream" speech has been read and heard by millions of men. women. and children around the world. The Martin Luther King. Jr. National Memorial is one of many cherished sites honoring men and women who have advanced the society we know today. historic sites that include Freedman town and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. When the Republicans cut the National Park Service. they cut our ability to maintain and preserve our Nations monuments. The Martin Luther King. Jr. National Historic site is operated by the National Park Service (under U.S. Department of the Interior). This legislation contains $2.5 billion for the NPS. which is $132 million below last years level. Operation of the National Park System is funded at $2.2 billion. which is $10 million below FY 2011 enacted levels. This funding will allow all National Parks to remain open and NPS activities to continue through next year without furloughs or reductions in full time or seasonal employees. These cuts result in the loss of jobs and the loss of our Nations cherished and prized history. The EPA has a broad responsibility. for research. standardsetting. monitoring and enforcement with regard to five environmental hazards: air pollution. water pollution. solid waste disposal. radiation. and pesticides. The EPA represents a coordinated approach to each of these problems. There has been a systematic effort to tie the hands of the EPAs ability to protect our environment and thereby protect the long term health of our Nation. Cuts to the EPA are just another means to bring down the agency. The EPA can keep our environment safe without hindering job creations. There are many critics out there who despise the EPA because they say that it is a burden to economic growth. I say that this is nonsense. for healthy populations are the foundation for prosperity. Let us not forget what happened in Woburn. Massachusetts in the 1980s. where numerous families were afflicted with cancer as a result of toxins being placed in the water. It was the work of brilliant lawyers in conjunction with the EPA who proved that the chemical entities involved deliberately placed toxins in the water. Let us also not forget The Love Canal of the 1970s near Niagara Falls either. In this region. scores of women had miscarriages and many more were contaminated from chemical wastes in the water. Are supporters of this bill encouraging our country to go back to a time when these problems were common? Because the issues associated with Woburn and the Love Canal are well in the past. supporters of cuts to the EPA must feel that the water people drink is perfectly safe to drink and does not need to be regulated. Just last year in the small town of Crestwood. outside of Chicago. it was discovered that town officials were secretly introducing tainted well water into the town water supply for years. The people were told that the water came from Lake Michigan. When the story broke. the Department of Public Health conducted a survey of disease rates and found that men in the town had high rates of kidney and gastrointestinal cancer. I. for one. will not tolerate this and I know the American people will not tolerate this as well. The American people will not tolerate the fear of turning on their faucets and wondering whether or not the water coming out has lead. plutonium. or wastes from chemical entities. Protecting the quality of our air and water. protecting the health of each and every one of our constituents. is an example of a time when Congress must consider the implications beyond our districts and our states. Surely preventing 230.000 deaths each year by regulating toxins in the air. and ensuring that millions will not lose their access to healthy drinking water is not controversial. I urge my colleagues to consider the constituents they represent. and take essential steps to protect the environment. Until that time. I cannot. and will not. support this damaging legislation. The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.