Congresswoman Salinas Votes Against the Polluters Over People Act

Today, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-Tigard) issued the following statement after she voted ‘no’ on H.R. 1:

“Today, I voted 'no' on the Polluters Over People Act. Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine demonstrated that the clean energy transition isn’t just important for our planet – it’s important for our national security. As Oregonians struggle to heat their homes and fill up their tanks, we’ve learned firsthand the dangerous pitfalls of our overreliance on global oil and gas markets. However, the solution to that problem isn't to deepen our dependency on finite fossil fuels – it’s to go all-in on clean, sustainable, American energy. Sadly, H.R. 1 doesn't do that. This legislation ignores climate science and, instead, attacks major clean energy programs that benefit hundreds of thousands of Oregonians. It's petty and retributive – and will only hamper our ability to produce energy here at home.

“For farming communities in particular, H.R. 1 would spell disaster. Specialty crop growers in the Willamette Valley recognize the imminent danger the climate crisis poses to their farming tradition. Many are already feeling the impacts of our warming planet, as extreme drought, heatwaves, and wildfires diminish crop yields and endanger their livelihoods. H.R. 1 would only make that worse by repealing key clean energy programs in favor of unmitigated fossil fuel production — leading to more emissions and worse climate impacts. For all these reasons and more, I voted 'no' on this bill.”

On Wednesday, March 29, 2023, Rep. Salinas delivered remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives, criticizing H.R. 1. Click here to watch her full remarks.

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