Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, my amendment would protect all rules relating to the enforcement of the Clean Air Act, which are in danger now under H.R. 998, the SCRUB Act, which seeks to authorize a brand new $30 million Presidential commission of unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats to wipe out agency rules across the whole field of government. Mr. Chairman, last night in this Chamber, the President of the United States came and articulated policy areas where he said his administration ``wants to work with Members of both parties.'' One of these was to promote clean air and clean water. I was happy to hear it because earlier in the day he signed an executive order to clear the way for weakening safe drinking water standards through redefinition of which small bodies of water are covered under the Clean Water Act. Now, the amendment I propose provides a chance for all of us to start fresh in demonstrating our seriousness about this new bipartisan commitment to protect the water we drink and the air that we breathe. The SCRUB Act proposes to create a commission to do what Federal agencies and commissions already do, which is to review and update their rules. That is why a lot of us are deeply skeptical about spending $30 million to create a new roving commission to hack away at rules protecting the public interest.…”