Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, my amendment would strike the language that weakens the definition of exceptional events for air quality monitoring data. We know that air quality monitoring data is incredibly important and that Americans value clean air. I am a businessman, and it is axiomatic that we can't manage what we can't measure. Just last month, The New England Journal of Medicine published a study that showed long-term exposure to air pollution increases mortality for all Americans, but particularly those that are self- identified as racial minorities or people with low incomes. That is why the EPA is responsible for setting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or NAAQS, for outdoor--ambient--air to protect our public health and the environment. When States and the EPA identify areas that do not meet the standards, States prepare their own plans specifying how they will reach attainment in those areas. States are currently allowed to exclude monitoring data for periods affected by exceptional events--exceptional events like forest fires or unusual weather conditions, volcanos or seismic activities. They can exclude this data from the measurements used to make designation decisions. This is appropriate and it makes sense. I think volcanos are exceptional. But this bill changes the exceptions provision in dangerous ways. It changes the definition of what qualifies as exceptional. Instead of exceptional, call it routine.…”