Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns Act, or the BRICK Act. Rules handed down by the EPA have real-world consequences on businesses and our economy. You have heard the backstory today regarding the 2015 Brick MACT standards and the impact it will have on the brick manufacturing industry. In my district, Columbus Brick Company, a fifth-generation, family- owned small business, will be forced to spend millions of dollars in compliance costs and significantly downsize or go out of business and tell 85 dedicated employees to find a new job. What is even more disappointing is that Columbus Brick has been forced to navigate this decision before. The EPA promulgated Brick MACT standards in 2003, and then the rule was vacated by a Federal court in 2007, but not until a significant monetary investment had been made by Columbus Brick in an attempt to be in compliance. That is why it is imperative that we pass the BRICK Act today. Companies like Columbus Brick aren't asking for zero regulation, but they are asking to be regulated fairly, to have a seat at the table in determining new rules, and some certainty when it comes to making future business decisions. The American people deserve better. They deserve a government that can ensure citizens have clean air to breathe without eliminating essential industries. That is why I urge you to support the BRICK Act.…”