Henry Waxman: “I yield myself 2 additional minutes. We said it is not fair to discriminate and deny, allow insurance companies to deny…”

“I yield myself 2 additional minutes. We said it is not fair to discriminate and deny, allow insurance companies to deny the chance for people with preexisting conditions to buy insurance. The Republicans said, Oh, yeah, we don't think that is a good idea, but they didn't have a plan to do anything about it. They were happy to let it continue. They wanted to say it was okay for insurance companies to put caps on the amount that the policies would pay. They wanted a system where people were priced out of insurance; if they couldn't afford it, well, that is just too bad. They deny the realities of what has been happening to millions of Americans, and now we have a health care law that is benefiting millions of Americans. This bill is not about health care, but they are denying these environmental problems and they are trying to keep Federal agencies from doing their job. Powerplants are the single largest uncontrolled source of carbon pollution in the United States. EPA has proposed critically important regulations to cut carbon pollution for powerplants in a balanced, cost-effective, commonsense way. {time} 1645 These rules would cut smog, and they would stop deadly particulate pollution. They would save thousands of lives per year and avoid tens of billions of dollars in costs, but this bill eliminates EPA's authority to issue any rules. Nothing can happen. Mr. Speaker, powerplants aren't the only source of carbon pollution. Tar sands are another big source.…”