Dennis Kucinich

I just really wanted to clarify that since I feel that Ms. Norton and myself were attacked unfairly.

What we have put forward is a simple statute that would prohibit gun trafficking in illegal guns to people who want to use them for illegal purposes.

I respect the right to own legal guns for self-defense, for other reasons, but I do not support illegal guns that are fueling drug wars and putting lives at risk.

On July 20, 2011, the Washington Times ran an op-ed by Steve Milloy, the publisher of junkscience.com titled "Show Us the Bodies, EPA."

And let us also acknowledge that Congress is sometimes captured by vested interests.

But I am afraid that we are falling into a rut here that is going to be the detriment not only of this committee and this Congress but of the Nation.

What has this committee done to simply some of the forms? Nothing. So isn't it time for a new approach?

I would urge Members to read Ms. Warren's--one of her books. I have only read the 'The Two-Income Trap.' It is outstanding.

So let's try to do better, and let's try to be civil to witnesses like Ms. Warren.

But we want clean water. We want clean air. And I would just say to my friend, that when you see--I understand you have to go--but when we see that there are egregious violations, we have to follow them.

I think it's important what Mr. Kelly just said because you know, it's very easy to paint everything here in black and white.

I hope we have a chance to go to the Coal River Valley in West Virginia, because notwithstanding what the gentlemen here say from the industry, there's been pretty serious complaints and documented reports about poison water, massive…

I'm going to ask Mr. Issa if one of the places we go would be to go to Coal River Valley to hear what the people have to say because we need to see the people that are living with this and maybe learn a little bit about the direction we…

That is our major concern.

I have to say to my friends on this committee, you know, I saw this documentary about, you know, what's happening in West Virginia and, granted, it came from a particular point of view, but, you know, there are people who are suffering…

I think, again, the point that's made in this hearing is that we want to create a balance between protecting jobs and protecting the environment.

I think the American public really is interested in that kind of a direction because we had a recent poll by the Natural Resources Defense Council that found that Americans want EPA to do more to protect them, not less.

I want to acknowledge my friend from Pennsylvania, who is a very strong advocate of business.

Everyone in this room today shares a common desire to put America back to work.

But it won't put Appalachian miners back to work. The economics of coal work against that.

Ultimately, if this bill becomes law, it would mean more pollution, more dirty water, more health problems for Americans forced to rely on these waters.

I'm deeply troubled by the fact that the House passed the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011 yesterday.

Not only is mountaintop mining--removal mining environmentally harmful, but it's actually a job destroyer, not a job creator.

Under the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency is mandated to 'restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters.'

Scientific research demonstrates that mountaintop removal mining is devastating to both the environment and the health of Appalachian communities.