Frank Pallone

I do believe that priority should be first and foremost that people can access the coverage they need or are entitled to have, and I am proud to have been the chief architect of the law that helps that happen.

Republicans have said that Democrats care too much about insuring people and access coverage, and that is an accusation that I am proud to own.

My colleagues want nothing more than a flashy, top-line message to justify their obsession with undermining the Affordable Care Act, the result of which is an attempt to take away healthcare coverage from millions of Americans.

This committee has a long history of working respectfully together even on the most difficult of topics, but unfortunately, that did not happen here today with this hearing.

I think these terms are intended to be synonymous and we all agree that the money should go to the most effective organizations.

As I said before, the bill before us is a small step forward on drinking water issues by reauthorizing technical assistance for small drinking water systems and I appreciate our ranking member and chairman who are working on this issue.

I expect the committee and probably the House will move this legislation. It will be signed by the president.

I think it is unfortunate that we are considering the Senate language instead of similar language authored by Mr. Tonko to reauthorize this program because some of the terms in the Senate bill are unclear.

The longer we put off drinking water repairs, the more pressing the public health threats become.

It is imperative that this subcommittee take on the important task of reauthorizing the drinking water State revolving fund.

I am pleased that the subcommittee is returning to the important issue of drinking water safety.

Although global warming likely wasn't on the minds of lawmakers working on the Clean Air Act in 1970, they were aware that the science of air pollutants was still evolving

Cooperative federalism allows EPA to set the clean air goals and States decide how best to achieve them.

It does not. In fact, the Federal-State allocation responsibility under section 111(d) is exactly the same as the allocation of responsibility for meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards with State Implementation Plans.

EPA retains backstop enforcement authority ensuring that every citizen of the United States receives the minimum level of protection from environmental risks even if their State fails to act.

Since 1970, the Clean Air Act has had several key features that have helped make it one of the most successful environmental laws on the books.

We have already wasted too much time listening to the arguments against the Clean Power Plan.

We should not heed the absurd arguments made on behalf of companies that profit from the status quo.

Climate change is no longer some far-off problem. It is happening here. It is happening now. We can't wait for some future generation to take action, and we know that any meaningful action must include drastically reducing our carbon…

This subcommittee cannot afford to simply ignore science, ignore data, ignore the experts, and ignore the signs that Mother Nature continues to show us.

The American people deserve to hear their elected representatives voice their opinions on what many believe to be the most consequential issue facing our time.

I urge the majority to also hold a hearing on the issue of climate change.

The majority side is hesitant to even utter the phrase climate change, unless it is doing so in a mocking, sneering, or contemptuous manner.

Science-based, health-protective standards keep our eye on the prize: healthy air for everyone.

What we cannot do, as President Obama said--and I will quote him again--is 'condemn our children to a planet beyond their capacity to repair.'