Press Release
October 6, 2011
Congresswoman Susan Davis Opposes the Weakening of Public Health Protections
Washington – Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) opposed legislation in the House of Representatives that would curtail federal public health protections. The Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act nullifies environmental rules that require cement plants to reduce their emissions of toxic air pollutants, including mercury.
“This Congress needs to be focused on job creation,” said Davis. “The American people are demanding Congress address the economic needs of the nation. Efficiency in federal, state and local regulations should be a goal. But we should not entertain the end of public health protections.”
Bruce Bartlett, a former economic advisor in the Reagan Administration, says the notion that deregulation would decrease unemployment is very weak. Bartlett highlights that, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, businesses cited regulations as the cause of 0.4% of layoffs in 2008, 0.2% of layoffs in 2009, and 0.2% of layoffs in 2010.
Supporters of H.R. 2681 claim that jobs are at stake. However, since 1970, the Clean Air Act has reduced key pollutants by more than 70 percent while at the same time the American economy has grown by over 200 percent.
Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act passed the House on a vote of 262-161.
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