Patrick Leahy: “I suppose there are Members who think we are in great shape, the air is clean, no problems whatsoever. The fact is, of…”

“I suppose there are Members who think we are in great shape, the air is clean, no problems whatsoever. The fact is, of course, we have significant mercury in the air that is created in the United States. It tends to occur disproportionately in one part of the United States, the Northeast, making the waters, fish, and air unsafe for children and for pregnant mothers. I will speak more on that as we go along. If this rule would actually help, I would be all for it. Let's be serious. If we ever wondered what a mercury pollution rule written by the polluters would look like, now we know. This is pretty much it. Some of this rule was copied verbatim, we now find out from some very brave people. It was copied verbatim from the sheets given by the companies most involved in the pollution. Most Americans have a great deal of trust in the Environmental Protection Agency since it was created during President Nixon's administration. It is very sad, very appalling to see how they have been captured by special interests. It is regrettable the American people and many of their representatives in Congress have been forced to the conclusion that mercury rules have been so mishandled and so co- opted by special interests that this rare effort to override is necessary. We have a simple choice on mercury pollution.…”