Hank Johnson: “It is nonsense to say that this bill protects corporate polluters and corporate wrongdoers--that is what we just…”

“It is nonsense to say that this bill protects corporate polluters and corporate wrongdoers--that is what we just heard--and that the amendment is unnecessary because it addresses indirect harm, and that indirect harm should be addressed by not bureaucrats in the EPA, but by Congress. Now, we all know how gridlocked Congress has been over the years. There has been nothing coming out of this Congress. I predict they won't even be able to do--they couldn't do repeal and replace. They were at it for 9 months, stalled everything else out, couldn't do repeal and replace. So now they are on comprehensive, what they call, tax reform, which is only tax breaks for the top 1 percent when you peel everything back. They are not going to be able to do that because my friends in the Freedom Caucus will prevent them from adding $1.5 trillion to the national debt. I support them in that endeavor. They can count on my vote for that. But this is nonsense, ladies and gentlemen. We have to stop protecting these corporate wrongdoers and put the hands back into the courts and to the American people. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.”