DALLAS, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Democrat Rep. Martin Frost Monday called on his opponent, Republican Rep. Pete Sessions, to drop his opposition to new air quality standards in North Texas.
In a news conference, Frost and Dr. Richard Wasserman, a pediatric asthma specialist, signed a clean air commitment to bring the Dallas-Fort Worth area into compliance with Environmental Protection Agency standards by the year 2010. They called on Sessions to do the same.
Frost said Sessions has worked with those who want to delay enforcement of clean air standards in North Texas, which he said increases the health risk for children and senior citizens and weakens the potential for economic growth.
"I will support healthy, clean air," Frost said. "Will Pete join me in standing up to polluters, or will he continue to support their smog and haze agenda."
Sessions had no immediate comment on the challenge.
Frost and Sessions, both incumbents, are facing each other in one of the nation's hottest congressional races. They are running in one of the new districts created last year by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature.
