Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, people going to the Environmental Protection Agency's Web site find that May is National Asthma Month. Many people might be surprised to know that starting January 1, 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency has prevented the sale of the only over-the-counter asthma inhaler upon which millions of Americans have relied for emergency asthma treatment. What is most alarming is that this inhaler was taken off the market not because it was unsafe or ineffective for treating asthma--it had been around for 50 years safely and effectively treating acute asthma attacks--but the Environmental Protection Agency claimed that the miniscule amount of chlorofluorocarbon contained was creating a hole in the ozone. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully submit that the Nation's asthmatics are not causing a hole in the ozone layer. When these inhalers were taken offline, we were told that the Food and Drug Administration would quickly approve a substitute inhaler; but here we are months and months and months later with no inhaler in sight. What has been the response of the EPA? They've been dismissive of Congress' concerns. I urge people to contact their Member of Congress to bring back these inhalers that have served so many people so well for so long. ____________________”