George Voinovich: “I wish to make a brief statement before we vote on the Voinovich, Carper, Feinstein, Jeffords, Hutchison, Stevens…”

“I wish to make a brief statement before we vote on the Voinovich, Carper, Feinstein, Jeffords, Hutchison, Stevens, Clinton, Obama, Lautenberg, DeWine, Levin, and Alexander amendment. It is based on the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2005, S. 1265. That bill is cosponsored by the Environment and Public Works Committee chairman, Jim Inhofe, Ranking Member Jeffords, Senators Tom Carper, Johnny Isakson, Hillary Clinton, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Dianne Feinstein. The bill was developed in close consultation with a strong and diverse group of environmental, industrial, and public officials. The groups range from the Environmental Defense, to the Union of Concerned Scientists, to the Associated General Contractors of America, to the Engine Manufacturers Association, to the Chamber of Commerce, to the National Conference of State Legislators. The cosponsors and these groups do not agree on many issues, which is why this amendment is so special. It is focused on improving air quality and protecting public health. It establishes voluntary national and State level grant and loan programs to promote the reduction of diesel emissions. It authorizes $1 billion over 5 years, $200 million annually. Onroad and nonroad diesel vehicles and engines account for roughly one-half of the nitrogen oxide and particulate matter mobile source emissions nationwide, and diesel retrofits have proven to be one of the most cost-effective emission reduction strategies.…”