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

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Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, S.J. Res. 11 makes clear House Republicans are only interested in fighting for baseless, dangerous pollution control rollbacks that benefit polluters, not the American people. The Biden Administration's Heavy-Duty NOX standard is common sense, realistic, and the way forward to protect the American people's health. 1 in 3 Americans are living in counties with unhealthy air pollution. This includes more than 100 million people--including 23.6 million children and 15.4 million people 65 or older--living in areas with high levels of ozone pollution--which the trucking sector is a large contributor to. According to the American Lung Association, a widespread transition to zero-emission transportation by 2050 will generate over $72 billion in avoided health costs, save approximately 6,300 lives, and prevent more than 93,000 asthma attacks and 416,000 lost workdays each year. Heavy Duty Vehicle pollution is dangerous and has been linked to numerous health concerns including asthma, heart disease, and cancer. Children, whose little lungs are still developing, are particularly at risk, as are the more than 72 million Americans-- often communities of color and low-income communities--who live within 200 meters of Heavy-Duty Vehicle freight routes. Back home in my backyard, the Progress Village and Palm River communities have been facing the cumulative burdens of air pollution from heavy-duty trucks for decades. Dating all the way back to the historic systematic racist redlining that cut a thriving African American community in half with a highway. The standard would reduce exposure to traffic pollution that is linked to heart disease and lung cancer mortality, asthma onset in both children and adults, and acute lower respiratory infections in children. All of which, my constituents back home in Progress Village and Palm River have been battling for decades. In addition, NOX emissions can cause lifelong lung damage, and interact with sunlight to form ground-level ozone and particulate matter pollution. The standard will significantly reduce nitrogen oxide emissions (by cutting it nearly in half) and prevent 2,900 premature deaths annually. This higher exposure burdens underserved residents with adverse health outcomes and higher healthcare costs. This Republican resolution will harm health of the American people and environment, and the health of American pocketbooks.

It is obvious, yet again, Republicans are too focused on protecting the profits of polluters instead of protecting the American people. The science behind this standard is clear--and the response by industry was even clearer. EPA engaged robustly with trucking, engine manufacturing, and other industry stakeholders throughout the rulemaking process. The period for filing a petition for judicial review closed on March 27, and no lawsuits were filed against this standard. Let me repeat that, no lawsuits were filed. The standard requires incremental improvement based on the same types of technology already deployed in heavy-duty diesel trucks. The biggest difference truck operators will see on new trucks is an increase in the required manufacturing warranty period from 100,000 miles to 450,000 miles, which should reduce their maintenance costs. The standard includes one of the most important transportation vehicles that every American is familiar with, especially our own children, the school bus. The Biden Harris Administration have been committed to protecting our environment, our children, and our future. The Clean School Bus Program, created with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides $5 billion over the next five years to replace existing school buses with zero- emission and low-emission models. This will provide cleaner air-- through electric and alternatively-fueled buses eliminate or reduce school bus exhaust, which is linked to asthma. This will provide reduced health risks--especially for children whose lungs are still developing. This will provide--reduced greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. This will even provide grid resilience. Through the usage of bidirectional chargers, school buses can store energy for distribution to the grid when needed. It is essential that we protect our children, our future. And if this resolution passes, we will be doing exactly the opposite--shouldn't we all want a future for our children? It is clear my colleagues across the aisle don't want to protect the American people, or our children, but only the profits of polluters. I urge my colleagues to not support this resolution.

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