Providing for Consideration of H.R. Limit, Save, Grow Act of and Providing for Consideration of H.J. Res. Disapproving the Rule Submitted By the Department of Commerce Relating to ``Procedures Covering Suspension of Liquidation, Duties and Estimated Duties in Accord with Presidential Proclamation
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule and the underlying bill.
This bill makes good on Speaker McCarthy's threat to hold the economy hostage. Several of my colleagues have spoken about the draconian cuts that this bill would make to our social safety net, to services for vulnerable veterans, seniors, families, and children, but it also jeopardizes critical investments that were just enacted as part of the historic and long-overdue climate rescue measures that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act, and those cuts have received less attention.
If you didn't know that this bill gutted billions of dollars of environmental measures, you are not alone. Those cuts were made in a deal the Speaker negotiated with the extremists who control his Conference sometime after midnight last night, around 2 a.m. this morning. I am not surprised that they are trying to sneak this provision into a bill that they are ramming through the House with no hearings.
The Speaker and his far-right allies argue that Federal spending poses the most significant threat to our country while blocking legislation to address gun violence, healthcare concerns, and other pressing concerns for all of our constituents, but climate change is an actual existential threat to our children and to all future generations.
I know the Republican Party isn't fond of looking at the science, but without intervention, the facts are clear: Our children will be forced to face more frequent climate disasters, new and devastating health threats, and untold economic loss. The extremist bill before us dismantles the clean energy climate rescue programs that we passed in the IRA that are essential for our children to thrive.
This bill eliminates a billion dollars to promote energy efficient construction, $5 billion for loans to back energy infrastructure projects, $1.9 billion to improve access to public transportation in low-income neighborhoods, and $5 billion to reduce climate pollution in addition to gutting environmental review protections.
Mr. Speaker, I am appalled that the Republican Party would so carelessly leverage our children's future, health, and safety to satisfy political extremists. I am disturbed by the shadowy process used to put this bill together.
I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule and the underlying bill.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source