Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, as the designee of Ms. Blunt Rochester, I have an amendment at the desk.

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Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today as the designee of my very good friend, Congresswoman Blunt Rochester, to offer and support this amendment.

Every person deserves to breathe clean air. As we battle a global public health pandemic, that truth could not be more important.

Time and time again, the administration has chosen to ignore the latest public health science, allowing our air to remain polluted and our communities to be less safe.

The EPA's most recent failure to propose air quality standards that will protect human health is unacceptable, and it will put tens of thousands of lives at risk.

Fine particulate matter, commonly known as soot, is a dangerous pollutant. In particular, it puts low wealth and communities of color at greatest risk. These are the communities that are already experiencing staggering death rates from COVID-19, made worse by decades of exposure to toxic pollution.

The EPA has chosen to retain its existing inadequate standard, despite ample peer-reviewed studies clearly showing that a stronger standard is, indeed, justified.

Even the EPA's own more limited assessment of the health impacts calculated that strengthening the standard would prevent thousands of premature deaths.

This amendment is simple. It would prohibit the EPA from finalizing its insufficiently protective review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter.

The American people need an Environmental Protection Agency that will listen to doctors and scientists and take the steps necessary to protect the health and well-being of all Americans, regardless of their race, income, or ZIP Code.

We are in the midst of a global health pandemic. Protecting our health could not be more important than at this very moment.

I, indeed, urge my colleagues to support this amendment and give the EPA the opportunity to finalize a stronger standard that will actually protect human health and the environment.

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Mr. TONKO.

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Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I will repeat. Every individual deserves the right to breathe clean air. Certainly, this pandemic has proven that certain areas, certain neighborhoods, certain populations, have been at risk. It has been proven by the impact that COVID-19 has borne on so many individuals and communities.

I would like to thank Representatives Blunt Rochester, McEachin, and Rush for authorizing this important amendment and for their tireless work to achieve environmental justice in carrying out our Nation's environmental laws.

Madam Speaker, I thank Chair McCollum of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee for her work on this great bill to protect public health and the environment.

EPA has a requirement to put forward standards that are based on sound science and protective at the same time of human health. The PM proposal has failed to do so.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to ensure environmental protection extends to each and every American.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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