Pelosi: 'GOP Rolling Back Clock to Days Before Modern Environmental Laws'

November 7, 2003

Washington, D.C. -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on a motion offered by Congressman Bob Filner (D-California) to instruct energy bill conferees to drop a provision that would weaken the Clean Water Act. The motion failed by a vote of 188 to 210.

"As a nation, we have worked hard for the past 30 years to reduce water pollution and to protect our lakes, rivers, and drinking water. But the Republican leadership is intent on rolling back the clock to the days before modern environmental laws when Americans were shocked by floating garbage, dead fish, and burning rivers.

"The House version of the energy bill would carve out an outrageous exemption from the Clean Water Act for the exclusive benefit of the oil and gas industry. Incredibly, this one industry would no longer be required to stop sediments and toxic waste at its construction sites from flowing into streams, rivers, and lakes. But oil and gas exploration often causes more pollution, not less, than other industries. Industry executives would profit at the expense of public health.

"Americans do not want more water pollution. We want to drink clean water, swim in clean water, fish in clean water, and boat on clean water. Every American and every industry must remain committed to cleaning up water pollution -- our children’s future depends upon it."

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