Raúl Grijalva: “Mr. Speaker, the RED Tape Act is a blatant sacrifice of human health for corporate profits. It will allow major Federal…”

“Mr. Speaker, the RED Tape Act is a blatant sacrifice of human health for corporate profits. It will allow major Federal projects to move forward without any consideration for impact on air quality or public health. This is a clear attempt to hide the truth about the health impacts of pollution. I will make this crystal clear: Our constituents do not want to increase the risks of their children developing asthma or cancer so that billionaires can fast-track polluting projects. This notion is obscene. As a parent, I can tell you, we will not stand for putting polluters over our children's right to breathe in clean air. Not now, not ever. For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment. My amendment would ensure that section 309 reviews still occur for major Federal projects or actions that may increase public exposure to mercury, lead compounds, asbestos, or any other hazardous air pollutants. Air pollution is associated with over 100,000 premature deaths in the United States each year. These are not just numbers. They are people taken from families far too soon. There must be no sidestepping protections for human health.”