Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Rule Submitted By the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to ``Control of Air Pollution From New Motor Vehicles: Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Standards''

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to S.J. Res. 11 to overturn the EPA Clean Trucks rule.

Tens of millions of Americans are exposed to dangerous levels of nitrogen oxide pollution from trucks. Many of them live in low-income communities and communities of color.

I know. I represent the Port of Los Angeles where I am surrounded by four freeways and trucks everywhere. Now, they do move our economy. They move goods from the port out into the communities, and so we acknowledge that, but we are all too familiar with Code Orange or Code Red air alerts warning us not to go outside.

Think about this: Our children cannot go outside and play at the local park because of the air quality, because of the pollution. We know that they are at increased risk for premature deaths, childhood asthma, and lung and heart diseases. If you go to a doctor's office in my district, the doctors there stock up on boxes of inhalers for children that they are waiting to come in because of the air pollution that is causing asthma.

These truck pollution standards were last updated 20 years ago. That is the last time we updated the standards. How long do children need to wait? How long do children need to wait to get clean air?

It has been 20 years. That is how long our communities have suffered without any help. This Republican resolution basically says too bad. We want you to wait longer for clean air. Whether it is Wilmington, California, in my district, or Wilmington, Delaware, across the country and everywhere in between, our communities just want to breathe. Delay is not acceptable.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. BARRAGAN. Our children have been waiting too long. We must move forward with this EPA truck rule. This is what we need to make sure we are investing and moving toward clean trucks, and we will not stop until every community, no matter your ZIP Code, can go outside without worrying whether it is safe to breathe clean air.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and to support clean air for all.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source