[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 107 (Wednesday, July 24, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H4992]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CUTS TO EPA FUNDING
(Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I was dismayed to see the
Interior, Environment Appropriations Subcommittee approve a 2014
funding bill that cuts EPA funding by 34 percent. Such a drastic,
unnecessary cut would prevent EPA from addressing critical air quality,
water quality, and climate change issues that have direct impacts on
human health.
As everyone knows by now, we are already feeling the impacts of
climate change--stronger storms, more severe droughts, hotter heat
waves. But it's our children and our grandchildren who will bear the
brunt of these impacts in the future.
Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
We've already seen that there are higher rates of asthma and infectious
diseases in children. These proposed cuts to EPA will only make things
worse.
Mr. Speaker, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to act
now to protect our children and our grandchildren from the impacts of
climate change.
I urge my colleagues, let's stop these shortsighted political games
and start taking action to address climate change and protect the long-
term health of future generations.
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