Kathy Castor Rips ‘Dirty, Pro-Polluter Resolution’ That Will Increase Exposure To ‘Cancer-Causing Toxins’

Forbes Breaking News

During a debate on the House Floor last week, Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) spoke about S.J.Res.31, which would nullify the Environmental Protection Agency rule that requires sources of persistent and bioaccumulative hazardous air pollutants to continue to comply with certain major source emission standards under the Clean Air Act even if the sources reclassify as area sources.

Transcript

00:00Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield now four minutes to the ranking member of our Energy Subcommittee,

00:05the gentlewoman from Florida, Ms. Castron.

00:08The gentlewoman is recognized for four minutes.

00:10Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank ranking member Pallone for yielding the time.

00:14Mr. Speaker, this is a dirty, pro-polluter resolution, so I rise in strong opposition to SJRES 31.

00:24It's going to increase hazardous air pollution across America.

00:28It's going to expose more Americans to cancer-causing toxins.

00:33But what's worse is that it comes at a time when Republicans are ripping health care away

00:39from at least 13.7 million Americans in their billionaire boondoggle bill.

00:46And, in fact, if you talk to folks back home and you hold town halls,

00:50what they're talking about is the cost of living.

00:52And it's amazing that this is the priority of the GOP at a time when people are really being squeezed back home.

01:00And Republicans have not brought one bill to the floor to lower the cost of living

01:05and tackle the everyday challenges of our neighbors back home.

01:10Instead, they're consumed by this tax giveaway for billionaires.

01:15And then this is the priority, to gut the Clean Air Act,

01:21to give polluting industrial plants the right to pollute more,

01:28pollute our air with toxins that cause cancer, neurological damage, and death.

01:33And as a result, this Republican bill, we'll see about 1,800 industrial facilities

01:44able to increase their pollution output.

01:49Back home in Florida, we anticipate that will apply to 72 more polluting facilities.

01:56They'll be allowed to escape regulation and emit cancer-causing air pollution.

02:00These are the major sources of hazardous air pollution.

02:04The large industrial facilities like chemical plants and refineries and pesticide manufacturers.

02:12And it's especially troubling because, and this hasn't gotten a lot of play,

02:18I think you would agree, Mr. Pallone,

02:20in that billionaire boondoggle bill,

02:24the big tax giveaway package that is ruminating here in the Rules Committee right now,

02:30American people, you need to know what else was included in that bill.

02:36The Energy and Commerce Republicans included a pay-to-play scheme

02:40to sell out the most vulnerable communities to the highest bidder.

02:45This in addition to gutting Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

02:50But what they put in relating to their pay-to-play scheme

02:54would allow big oil polluters to pay a one-time $1 million fee

02:59to the Department of Energy to grease the skids

03:02to get polluting gas plants online faster.

03:07Now, yes, we need more energy,

03:08but this comes at a time when you are, in doing so,

03:11going to raise electric bills across the country

03:13because you say it's only oil and gas.

03:16Forget about solar, wind, storage,

03:19all of the energy that's ready to come onto the grid.

03:22It's another example that they're sacrificing

03:24the people's interest for the special interest.

03:28The special interest here are the chemical plants,

03:30the refineries, the pesticide manufacturers.

03:34Because for, this is especially troubling too,

03:36because for decades Congress has recognized

03:39the clear health dangers of hazardous air pollutants

03:42from these large-scale industrial polluting plants.

03:45We know they cause cancer, we know they cause birth defects,

03:49developmental disorders, and neurological problems,

03:52even at low levels of exposure.

03:55So, while Americans struggle with the high cost of living

03:58and they watch this billionaire boondoggle bill

04:02try to get through the House,

04:05just know what else is going on at the same time.

04:07They're gutting the Clean Air Act,

04:09the bipartisan piece of legislation

04:11that has stood us well for years and years and years.

04:14No Congress has ever stripped away

04:16protections against toxic air pollution,

04:19and we shouldn't start now.

04:21I yield back my time.

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