Debbie Dingell: “as you know, Earth Day marks a day of reflection for the American public, an opportunity to evaluate our progress in the…”

“as you know, Earth Day marks a day of reflection for the American public, an opportunity to evaluate our progress in the fight to protect our environment. This past year we have seen the Bush administration's blatant disregard for the environment. Each one of us has the responsibility to stand up for environmental protection irrespective of the wishes of special interests. However, my Republican colleagues have failed to keep our Nation's commitment to a healthy and secure environment. I have been here for a long time. I am proud of the role I played in many of our cornerstone environmental laws. In the 1970s, we recognized that we owe it to future generations to protect the environment, the laws we passed were not revolutionary, they were common sense. These laws were passed on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis. One could even say that these environmental laws were so important that they were, in fact, nonpartisan. Sadly, the tide has turned. The Bush administration has shown, over and again, that they care more about their corporate buddies than the health and well-being of the American public.”