[Page H1661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SUPPORTING PEOPLE OVER POLITICS

  (Ms. McCOLLUM asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1.
  While the majority claims this bill would lower America's energy 
costs, this bill would directly result in policies that would add to 
the deficit and incur billions of dollars in environmental costs.
  This bill puts polluters over people by putting taxpayers on the hook 
for environmental cleanup of our public lands. Public lands are just 
that: They are public. They belong to the people, not to major 
corporations, not to foreign-owned mining companies who would ship 
mined materials over to China for smelting, or to be sold on the global 
market. How does that protect our national security?
  Let me be clear: We need to reform the permitting process to 
guarantee our transition to a clean, green energy economy. When it 
comes to leasing our public lands, local communities and Tribal Nations 
need to be front and center, not oil, gas, and mining interests.
  When companies pollute, they need to be held responsible for the 
cleanup, not the American taxpayer. I support people over politics. 
H.R. 1 should be rejected.

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