Protecting American Energy Production Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, as one of the only few who doesn't take corporate PAC money in this institution, I am here to tell you the truth, per usual.

H.R. 1121 is a danger to all of our communities. The President must have a full range of tools to protect our health, safety, and climate from dangers of fracking.

We know this bill is nothing more than a waste of time. I would like to take a step back for a minute and remind people of the truth, why we are here in this situation right now, with fracking being practically unregulated at the Federal level.

Nearly 20 years ago, Mr. Speaker, then-Vice President Dick Cheney, the former CEO of Halliburton, managed to insert a loophole into the Energy Act of 2005 specifically exempting fracking chemicals from EPA regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Halliburton, of course, is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world and also just happens to be behind most of the major fracking worldwide.

For the last 20 years, we have been dealing with the Halliburton loophole, a terrible reminder of the revolving door of oil, money, and politics, and how Big Oil buys its way into the Halls of Congress.

This bill is another step to enshrine fracking protections and polluter loopholes into law, and it is wrong. It says to people in our communities all across the country, the people who elected us--urban, rural communities--that corporate polluters' profits are more important than their health.

The mere fact that fracking is linked to childhood cancer should be enough for us to act. I merely ask for us, please, don't frack with our health.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose this legislation.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source