Matsui Amendment Would Protect American Economy from Adverse Effects of Backwards Legislation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
CONTACT: MARA LEE
(202) 225-7163
Matsui Amendment Would Protect American Economy from Adverse Effects of Backwards Legislation
Prohibits Enactment of Upton-Inhofe Bill Until Climate Change is Certified as No Longer A Threat to U.S. Economy
Today, Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (D-CA) participated in the House Energy and Commerce Committee mark-up of H.R. 910, the Upton-Inhofe bill which would eliminate the monitoring and enforcement capabilities of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in regards to climate change. This unprecedented move would ignore decades of scientific research, and pose serious health and environmental risks for American families.
Moreover, this bill would put our country's fragile economy at risk. Congresswoman Matsui therefore introduced an amendment for consideration which would prohibit implementation of the Upton-Inhofe bill unless the EPA certifies that climate change is no longer a threat to the U.S. economy. As such, the Matsui Amendment would protect the American economy from the adverse effects of this legislation.
Excerpts of the Congresswoman's prepared remarks at today's mark-up are below:
Climate change and our failure to act on it is a serious threat to our economy and our ability to be competitive in the coming years. In my hometown of Sacramento, we understand the consequences of climate change, including changing storm patterns and spring runoffs. CEO's and business leaders in the region understand that climate change exists; and they want certainty in the marketplace to move forward with their clean energy products to better compete here in this country, and around the world.
Our nation must be the world's leader in manufacturing clean energy technologies and exporting them abroad. The United States needs to fight for these clean energy jobs. We need to step up to the plate. And that means more efficiency and clean energy, not less.
The real job killer would be to roll back these standards in order to protect and encourage dirtier technologies. That's a mistake our economy cannot afford.
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