On the recordMarch 8, 2011
These are the most difficult times on these children when the air is dirty. This is a beautiful child. She cannot breathe, and she has asthma. The reason we passed the Clean Air Act is because of kids like her, and others who are gasping for air, literally. The other thing I want to show you is this chart. This is an incredible chart that shows the significant drop in smog-related health advisories in southern California, the most polluted area, since we have put the Clean Air Act into place in the 1970s. Look at this. We have gone from 166 days where there were warnings for people to stay indoors to zero days in 2010. The Republicans, in H.R. 1, devastate the EPA's budget, plus they tell them they cannot enforce the Clean Air Act. Let me say this: If my Republican friends want to repeal the Clean Air Act, just bring it on, and we will have a debate here. Do not do it through the guise of deficit reduction.
