On the recordApril 19, 2023
Mr. President, it is great to be here with Senator Carper and Senator Capito--two dear friends but also two leaders in the recycling effort, not only recycling in general but the Recycling Caucus--to raise the visibility of the importance of recycling from an environmental standpoint as well as the important role the industry has in our economy. Of the many caucuses that I am a member of, the Senate Recycling Caucus is one of the most active. The attention to recycling in Congress is night and day compared to what it was a couple of years ago, in large part because of Chairman Carper's leadership. So I want to thank him so much for his commitment not only in word but in deed. When China implemented its ``National Sword'' policy in 2018, that halted the import of plastics and other materials destined for its recycling processors. As a result, we really began to see how crippled our domestic recycling abilities were. But through a lot of hard work, we are beginning to help the policymakers and the public and private sectors understand how recycling is common sense. This is not a red or a blue State issue. Recycling is good for the economy, it creates jobs, and helps the environment. Everyone should be able to get on board with those incentives. Recycling is a critical part of the United States, with it being a $200 billion industry that has created over 680,000 jobs.…





