[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 91 (Thursday, June 23, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 JOBS AND ENERGY PERMITTING ACT OF 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 22, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2021) to 
     amend the Clean Air Act regarding air pollution from Outer 
     Continental Shelf activity:

  Mr. FARR. Madam Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2021, the 
Jobs and Energy Permitting Act. Since the beginning of the 112th 
Congress, my Republican colleagues have been relentless in their 
attempts to weaken offshore drilling regulations and to preserve 
wasteful and unnecessary subsidies to the most profitable oil 
corporations in the world. While Americans are facing serious pain at 
the pump, in the first quarter of 2011, the five biggest oil companies 
have made a total combined profit of $35 billion. Yet, as these 
companies break record profits, the Republican leadership insists that 
we continue to hand these companies billions of taxpayer dollars in 
subsidies.
  H.R. 2021 is just another blatant attack on human health and the 
environment in an attempt to shield outrageous Big Oil profits. This 
bill seeks to evade Clean Air Act standards intended to protect our air 
and health by allowing the oil companies to pollute as much as they 
want from their offshore operations. Secondly, this anti-environment 
piece of legislation would block the right of California and other 
states to enforce more rigorous emissions standards on vessels 
servicing an offshore operation. It seems ironic that my colleagues who 
are arguing against big government now want to take away states' rights 
to protect their residents from dirty local air.
  I strongly support the need to reduce America's dependence on foreign 
oil. However, H.R. 2021 is not the answer. I am extremely disappointed 
that my Republican colleagues continue to dismiss renewable sources of 
energy as part of the solution. The renewable energy sector has the 
potential to support hundred of thousands of jobs while reducing 
greenhouse gas emissions. The number of jobs in the solar industry, for 
example, doubled from 2009 to 2010. However, in the Fiscal Year 2012 
Energy and Water Subcommittee Appropriations bill, Republicans have 
proposed draconian cuts to programs that focus on energy efficiency 
research and renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind. The 
proposed cut of $1.895 billion to the Department of Energy's Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy program is simply unacceptable. These 
cuts to alternative energy programs and the numerous pro-Big Oil bills, 
such as H.R. 2021, that have been introduced in the 112th Congress 
indicate that the Republicans do not support a comprehensive solution 
to rising gas prices, ending America's foreign dependence on oil, and 
creating jobs.
  My fellow Democrats attempted to improve H.R. 2021 by offering ten 
different amendments, but the Republicans rejected each and every one, 
including an amendment that would maintain California's ability to set 
its own emissions standards. Unfortunately this Republican desired top-
down approach will degrade air quality along the coast of California, 
causing health costs to soar with increasing incidence of respiratory 
illnesses.
  Madam Chair, the quality of the air we breathe and the health of my 
constituents is of utmost importance. For this reason, I do not support 
this legislation, and I voted ``no'' on H.R. 2021.

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