Political Quotes

“I rise with strong reservations about this amendment, but I also want to talk about the underlying legislation. I think, really, what we have to be focused on here is jobs. Again, as I stated earlier during floor debate, I represent the largest cement-producing district in America. We have five cement plants in my district. Those five cement plants produce more cement than did the 50 plants that preceded them. We used to have 50 plants in my district, and now those five plants that are remaining produce more than the 50. The point is that the industry has become much more productive in many respects, including being environmentally more productive and sensitive. That said, these new rules, these three rules in particular, will restrict the industry's ability to remain competitive with foreign producers. These foreign imports currently make up more than 20 percent of the total U.S. cement sales. If these three rules are implemented, we will see less domestic cement production. To add insult to injury with respect to what the EPA is doing with their regulatory assault on the cement industry as well as on the coal industry, what they are doing here is just unfair to basic industry--to manufacturing, to industrial America. When you look at the stimulus law that was enacted a couple of years ago, look at what happened. Our stimulus dollars, Federal dollars, are being used to finance a cement importation terminal in New York City for the purpose of bringing in Peruvian cement.…”