[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 2, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E582]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





 THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY AND ITS IMPACT ON MINORITY 
                              COMMUNITIES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 1, 2017

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, thank you, Congressman Veasey, Congressman 
McEachin and Congresswoman Plaskett, for organizing tonight's special 
order hour on environmental justice and Trump's 100 days: ``What do we 
have to lose?'' I'd also like to thank Chair Richmond for his tireless 
leadership as the CBC continues to be the conscience of the Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a lot to lose under this administration--who at 
every turn--wants to roll back protections for our communities and for 
our environment. And make no mistake: communities of color are most 
impacted by these decisions and often bear the brunt of climate change 
and pollution.
  In my home district, West Oakland residents are disproportionately 
exposed to dirty air pollution that is 90 times higher than the average 
Californian. 90 times. As a result, many West Oakland residents 
experience more asthma attacks, heart failures and strokes. On average, 
West Oakland residents have a higher death rate than other Californians 
just because of where they live. This is a shame and a disgrace. But 
these inequalities are not new.
  In 2013, the American Academy of Allergy and Asthma found that one in 
six African American children and one in nine Latino children suffered 
from asthma compared to just 1 in 15 white children. These numbers are 
unacceptable and they should be a wake-up call to all of us to do more 
to fight for environmental justice. But with the current administration 
we must be ready for an uphill battle.
  Last weekend marked President Trump's 100 days in office--which is 
really just 100 days of chaos, corruption, and dysfunction. In fact, 
the Trump administration has shown in the past 100 days that they are 
more committed to padding their pockets than protecting our planet. In 
three months, they have:
  Approved the Keystone pipeline
  Approved the Dakota Access Pipeline
  Proposed devastating cuts to the EPA
  And allowed dumping of coal mining waste into our streams.
  And with every executive order rolling back President Obama's 
progress on climate change issues, the current administration lives up 
to its belief that saving our planet is ``a waste of [America's] 
money.'' But I stand here today to say ``Not on our watch.''
  Our children's air, drinking water and futures depend on our ability 
to hold corporations accountable for their emissions and waste.
  For some in our country, this is literally a matter of life and 
death, as communities of color are more likely to live near polluting 
facilities or be ignored when they notice high levels of lead in their 
water systems. We are all connected to our environment. It impacts 
everyone. It is time we recognize that an injustice anywhere is a 
threat to justice everywhere.
  Mr. Speaker, the past 100 days have shown us that this will be a long 
and arduous battle. But we cannot afford to get tired--our very 
existence is at stake. We must continue to build a movement that can 
fight back against the constant attacks on our communities and on our 
planet. That's why we're here today as members of the Congressional 
Black Caucus: to show unified resistance by fighting for our 
communities, our environment, and especially our planet.

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