Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of the amendment offered by Mr. Markey, of which I am proud to be a cosponsor. Many of us have seen iconic images of the Cuyahoga River burning in the 1950s. Sadly, this was not an isolated event--the Cuyahoga caught fire numerous times. The reason for these fires was that the river was heavily, heavily contaminated with flammable industrial waste. This water was dangerous to drink and to swim in. Fish and wildlife could not survive. Flooding in this river would have spread pollution onto shore and into neighborhoods and homes. In short, this pollution was dangerous for the health of the people and communities that depended on the river. It was incidents like these that helped raised public awareness of the dangers of water pollution. Ultimately, that awareness became government action--including the creation of the EPA in 1970, and passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972. The EPA's purpose is simple: to protect human health and the environment. It does this by acting as a referee between the states-- working to ensure minimum standards for water quality nationwide. These standards help to ensure an even playing field for states and businesses, while preserving safe, adequate water supplies for our children and communities.…”