Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member. Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. The amendment would allow OMS to deal with the continuing problems posed by mountaintop mining removal because this practice contaminates, destroys streams, and negatively impacts human health. Two lawsuits challenge this Bush-era rule, and in February 2014, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacated a 2008 stream buffer rule. It is important that we allow this to move forward, and I am going to simply state why. In a study in 2011, it found that counties near mountaintop mining areas had higher rates for five out of six types of birth defects, including circulatory, respiratory, skeletomuscular, central nervous system, gastrointestinal, and I could go on and on. Clearly, we know that the health effects from mountaintop mining-related air and water contamination is cumulative and is dangerous to public health. OSM must be allowed to go forward with this water protection rule to guarantee the public an opportunity to live a healthy life. I urge my colleagues to support the Beyer amendment.”