On the recordMarch 14, 2011
I rise today to speak about the importance of a landmark piece of legislation, the Clean Air Act. Congress passed the Clean Air Act over 40 years ago with broad bipartisan support from both Chambers of Congress, and President Nixon wisely signed it into law. Since then, we have seen remarkable benefits to the health of our Nation. We have seen significant reductions in pollution from lead, mercury, sulfur dioxide, and a host of other contaminants. America reduced pollution and made remarkable strides in improving public health even while our economy adjusted and thrived. In fact, the Clean Air Act has a long track record of promoting job creation and economic growth while reducing pollution. The economic benefits of the Clean Air Act are significant. For every $1 spent on Clear Air Act protections, we get $30 of public health benefits in return. In the year 2010 alone, the Clean Air Act saved 160,000 lives and avoided millions of cases of pollution-related illness, including 1.7 million cases of asthma exacerbation, 130,000 heart attacks, 86,000 emergency room visits, 3.2 million lost school days, and 13 million lost work days. This is a profoundly important law. It protects every single American from the types of pollution that can cause asthma attacks, lost school days for young children, emergency room visits, heart attacks, strokes, and even premature deaths.
