[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3039]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      CONFIRMATION OF SCOTT PRUITT

  Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I speak in unity with my colleagues 
and highlight the irreparable harm that will be done to our environment 
and communities now that Scott Pruitt has been confirmed to be the head 
of the Environmental Protection Agency.
  Mr. Pruitt has focused his career on working against the EPA's 
fundamental mission of protecting our Nation's environment, instead 
pushing an antienvironment agenda dictated by big corporations that 
have funded his campaigns and political career.
  Mr. Pruitt has been serving as Oklahoma's attorney general since 
2010, during which he has spent countless hours working to undermine 
and repudiate the very Agency he is nominated to run.
  Throughout his tenure, Mr. Pruitt sued the EPA 14 times over orders 
that seek to protect our environment and the health and safety of our 
communities.
  Included in Mr. Pruitt's lawsuits were efforts to undercut basic, 
commonsense measures that are essential to Americans' health and 
safety: EPA safeguards for clean air and clean water. Yes, Mr. Pruitt 
supports undoing measures that ensure the air we breathe is not 
polluted and the water we drink is free of contaminants.
  And during his confirmation hearing, Mr. Pruitt contradicted his own 
record and biography, calling into question his knowledge of basic 
principles. Pruitt claimed he believes that the EPA has ``a very 
valuable role.'' And yet his own LinkedIn profile brags that he is ``a 
leading advocate against the EPA's activist agenda.''
  Almost 4,000 Nevadans reached out to my office urging me to vote 
against Mr. Pruitt.
  I want to read some stories from Nevadans who voiced their concerns 
about Mr. Pruitt and what is at stake for them--as well as countless 
other families across the country.
  From Jean Pierre LeBarry of Las Vegas, NV:

       I am of Basque descent, as is my whole family. I grew up in 
     Northern Nevada, as many other Basque folks did, on a ranch. 
     We did not have running water or even electricity. We did 
     have our sheep though. We were sheep ranchers, across the 
     great state of Nevada the industry flourished, but before I 
     had heard Al Gore say anything about climate change, I saw 
     its effects in our state [Nevada]. We stopped getting as much 
     snowfall; we would scour the desert for water to keep our 
     herd alive on the range. Year after year it got worse, slowly 
     killing our industry, thinning our herd, and giving me first 
     hand example of how severe climate change is. This was more 
     than 30 years ago I saw these changes taking place. After I 
     left the ranch, I worked as a government employee for the 
     Bureau of Land Management, until I retired. To see how much 
     disregard Scott Pruitt would have for my family and their 
     struggles with the deterioration of our climate; it is 
     appalling that anyone would dare to confirm his nomination to 
     head the Environmental Protection Agency, the very agency he 
     has tried so hard to dismantle already.

  From Sharon Ingram-Bevans of Reno, NV:

       My Husband was a Vietnam Vet and he died last March after a 
     10 year illness directly related to environmental pollution. 
     He was stationed at Camp Le Juhen North Carolina, exposed to 
     drinking water full of jet fuel, and some great general's 
     idea to have young Marines scrape and repaint Agent Orange 
     boxes while serving in the Refugee camps at Okinawa Japan. 
     Our Daughter has Thyroid disease due to this exposure also. 
     If we only paid attention to how we use and dispose of 
     substances we might have a better world to give to our 
     children. There is no Planet ``B'' and even rich people need 
     clean air and water.

  From Brittany Lamborn of Las Vegas, NV:

       I was born and raised in Nevada. My sister, brother, and I 
     grew up in the Las Vegas valley, surrounded by majestic 
     mountain ranges, fragrant pines, and breathtaking sunsets. 
     Away from the glitz and glamour of the Strip, I could lose 
     myself in the beauty of Red Rock or walk the trails on Mt. 
     Charleston. My mom would take us to Gilcrease Orchard to pick 
     fresh produce. My dad would take us on stargazing trips to 
     Cathedral Gorge in Panaca. I have never wished for another 
     home. Home means Nevada.
       Now I have two young children of my own. I put on a brave 
     face every morning so that they do not see my fear that 
     increases with each day. I fear that these God given wonders 
     will not be protected for them. I fear that the overwhelming 
     need to consume will eat up our natural resources. And I fear 
     that, unchecked, we will do irreparable harm to the only 
     planet we have. When the dust has cleared, I fear: What will 
     be left for our children?
       Climate change is a fact, not a feeling or an opinion. We 
     need someone at the helm of the Environmental Protection 
     Agency that will protect every Gilcrease Orchard, every Red 
     Rock, and every Cathedral Gorge in the United States. Scott 
     Pruitt is not that man.

  I know I am not the only Senator whose office was contacted by 
countless constituents, urging us to put the health and safety of our 
children and our environment first and oppose Mr. Pruitt's nomination.
  I promised Nevadans I would come to Washington and fight for them and 
their priorities, and that is why I could not support Mr. Pruitt to 
lead the EPA. I urged my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do 
the same.

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