Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I rise to offer an amendment that would prevent this oil giveaway from further burdening communities of color, low-income communities, Tribal, and indigenous communities. Over the past several years our late colleague, Representative McEachin and I traveled the country to hear from environmental justice and frontline communities across this Nation about pollution and climate impact. We heard the tales of water not fit to drink, air not fit to breathe, and communities not safe to live in. For too long we have allowed the vulnerable to bear the impacts of development, leaving them to pay the costs that are incurred. {time} 1615 We must change that narrative by ensuring that these communities are at the decisionmaking table and that their voices are clearly heard at every level of government. This was a legacy my dear friend and our late colleague dedicated his life to, and that is why I am proud that we will be renaming the Environmental Justice For All Act in his honor in the next several weeks. Unfortunately, the bill in front of us today would take us further than ever from achieving environmental justice and attention to frontline communities. There is no way to open up 300 million acres to new extraction without massively impacting communities of color, low- income communities, and Tribal and indigenous communities.…”