Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 212, the Drinking Water Protection Act, which I reintroduced from last Congress in January. This important, bipartisan legislation requires the EPA to develop and submit a strategic plan to Congress for assessing and managing risks associated with algal toxins in drinking water provided by public water systems. Unfortunately, from the Great Lakes to other surface freshwaters across the country, algal toxins, produced by harmful algal blooms, are presenting a serious concern to human health and safety. Last August, half a million people in the Toledo, Ohio, area, including many of my constituents, weren't able to utilize their public drinking water for over 2 days without risking potentially negative health effects due to a high level of algal toxins detected in the city's public water supply. During that time, concerns and questions were and have since been raised about health effects data, testing protocols, treatment processes, and appropriate short- and long-term responses. Furthermore, during hearings in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, witnesses testified about the further complexity of this issue due to the numerous other algal toxins and variants that may have potential negative health effects when present in public drinking water. I commend the work that the U.S.…”