Political Quotes

“I rise in strong support of S. 729, the Lead Exposure Reduction Act, of which I am a cosponsor. I believe this measure is long overdue. We have known about the dangers associated with exposure to lead, particularly with regard to children, for some time now. And yet our Nation lacks a comprehensive, coordinated approach to address the lead problem. Although I am pleased that the Federal Government has already devoted significant resources to lead abatement efforts, what is needed is a program that attacks the problem on several fronts: prevention, abatement, phaseouts, and enforcement. I am particularly gratified that much of the legislation targets our Nation's children. It is shameful that an estimated one-in-six children is lead poisoned. Of course, poor children are disproportionately affected by this hazard, with African-American children more than twice as likely than white children to be poisoned--as if these kids did not have enough working against them. The evidence about the effects of lead exposure on children, even at low levels, is alarming. We know that lead causes lowered IQ, learning disabilities, hyperactivity and attention deficit, and other cognitive and behavioral problems. Make no mistake. Society pays a heavy price-- to say nothing of the individual--for these disorders.”