In Opposition to Stearns Amendment (#10) to H.R. 1

Floor Speech

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by Mr. Stearns, an amendment which seeks to hamstring the EPA's ability to do its job.

A job which Congress determined was the responsibility of the EPA.

A job which the Supreme Court ruled was the responsibility of the EPA.

And, a job, which is necessary to save thousands of lives, and millions in healthcare costs.

Contrary to what some of my colleagues have been saying on the House floor, Americans support the mission of the EPA.

Americans also support the tenets of the Clean Air Act.

Recently, polls have been conducted in Congressional districts across the country, in districts that are home to coal and power plants, that are in the heart of steel towns and industry.

When questioned, 60 and 70 percent of people in these districts answered with a resounding, ``yes, the EPA can and should do more to hold polluters accountable and to protect our land, air and water.''

Those same folks did not support Congress deciding how those rules should be promulgated, as this amendment strives to do.

There's a reason that rules are written by agencies--they've got the resources, and the knowledge, to write regulations that will do what's best for American citizens and communities.

Our job is to support these rules.

I stand here in support of the EPA, the EPA's ability to regulate coal combustion wastes and against the proposed amendment.

Our lives depend on it.

Source