On the recordFebruary 8, 2011
Absolutely. And you know, I think that our goal, gentlemen, should be to strengthen the public health standards. When we think of the reduced amount of impacts on children, for instance, those 18 million cases that were prevented of respiratory diseases for children, those are important steps. That ought to drive us. But you know, Representative Holt talked about the cost of the program and the associated benefits. Well, right now the average has been for every dollar of investment there is a $13 benefit. That's a tremendous, powerful outcome. Why would we not want to continue that sort of benefit that befalls the American public and produces jobs at the same time? This whole session of Congress that preceded this 112th and now this Congress, this session of Congress to date is all about jobs, and why would we walk away from the jobs potential and the public health improvements for the sake of politics? And by the way, those benefits are projected by the year 2020 to rise to $20 trillion, which is a 30:1 ratio. For every dollar invested, $30 of benefits will be produced. This is an awesome track record, and one that really, again, speaks to the well-being, the general health of the American public and produces jobs. By the way, the American manufacturing teams that work on air pollution reduction technology are the kingpins in that global market. They are producing and exporting.
