Frank Lautenberg: “I rise to speak against three Republican amendments that pose a grave threat to our health, our children, and our…”

“I rise to speak against three Republican amendments that pose a grave threat to our health, our children, and our environment. The first seeks to delay and weaken new EPA standards that would reduce the pollution produced by industrial boilers. These boilers emit dozens of toxins, including lead, which reduces children's intelligence levels, and dioxins, which can cause birth defects. Boilers also release mercury, which is brain poison for children. And I ask my colleagues here to just think for a moment how lucky you are if all of your children are healthy and feeling good. Under the Republican amendment, polluters will have at least 6 additional years to continue releasing life-threatening toxins into our air. We have already waited far too long to see the health benefits these standards would achieve. Back in 1990, both parties came together in Congress and told the EPA to set new pollution standards by the year 2000. If we delay these standards another 6 years, our country will suffer as many as 28,000 premature deaths. We will also see 17,000 heart attacks and more than 180,000 asthma attacks. This amendment would also fundamentally weaken the Clean Air Act. It forces the EPA to set the least burdensome standards for industry. Imagine that. Instead of reducing toxins our children breathe, this amendment orders the EPA to reduce the burden on polluters. Under this amendment, children lose and polluters win, and that is inexcusable.…”