[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 143 (Friday, September 23, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRANSPARENCY IN REGULATORY ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS ON THE NATION ACT OF 
                                  2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 22, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2401) to 
     require analyses of the cumulative and incremental impacts of 
     certain rules and actions of the Environmental Protection 
     Agency, and for other purposes:

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I am proud to serve as a 
Representative of California's Ninth Congressional District, which has 
long been at the forefront of the environmental movement, including 
working on the critical issue of climate change, as well as fighting 
for renewable energy, green jobs, and environmental justice.
  That is why I am speaking today against the TRAIN Act--it undermines 
the Clean Air Act's ability to crack down on air pollution, threatening 
the quality of life for our children, our families and our communities, 
including my constituents in the East Bay, many of whom already suffer 
unjustly from poor air quality.
  The Clean Air Act is one of the most successful public health 
programs in American history--with a return of more than $30 in 
benefits for every dollar invested in pollution reductions over the 
life of this law.
  The TRAIN Act is a direct attack on the Clean Air Act and its 
regulations. This bill blocks EPA's ability to move forward with two 
long overdue Clean Air Act rules--the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard 
and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule--which will reduce harmful air 
pollution that threatens public health, especially the health of the 
most vulnerable populations, including children and seniors.
  The Republicans' attack on the Clean Air Act and its work to 
dismantle the EPA will not only result in job loss but will result in 
poorer public health across this Nation.
  Rather than the Republicans taking action to create jobs, this bill 
cuts funding to create green jobs.
  We should move President Obama's American Jobs Act now to begin to 
give Americans what they want: a job.
  I urge a no vote on this measure and urge the Republicans to stop 
playing political games and couching deregulation as job creation. Wall 
Street got deregulated and the result was a financial crisis. The 
American people do not need an environmental and public health crisis, 
the American people need jobs.

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