Rep. Mike Levin Delivers House Floor Speech on California’s Right to Clean Air
Rep. Mike Levin Defends California's Right to Clean Air on the House Floor
Washington, D.C.- Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) delivered a speech on the House Floor against House Republicans’ effort to repeal clean air protections for California through the Congressional Review Act.
Watch the full House Floor speech here. Full remarks below.
“M. Speaker, I rise today to support California’s right to clean air.
“Growing up in Southern California in the 1980s, smog alerts were a regular part of life.
“A lap around the track at school and your chest would burn. We can’t go back to those days.
“When President Richard Nixon signed the Federal Clean Air Act in 1970, California under Governor Reagan, was given a waiver letting us set stricter air pollution rules than the federal government.
“Over the years, Republican and Democratic leaders alike — from Governors Reagan, to Jerry Brown, to Arnold Schwarzenegger — stood together to protect California’s right to clean up our air.
“But now, House Republicans are trying to strip away California’s ability to set our own air pollution standards.
“So much for state’s rights.
“After all the progress we’ve made, they want to turn back the clock and do the bidding of big polluters.
“Clean air isn’t a partisan issue — it’s a public health issue, and I will never, never stop fighting to protect it.
“Thank you.”
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