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Dear Friend, Clean air is too important to be a bargaining chip in budget negotiations. But as the March 18th budget deadline looms, that's what it could become. Senate Democrats are now negotiating on the House Republicans' radical spending bill — which contains draconian cuts to EPA funding and multiple provisions blocking the Clean Air Act from limiting climate pollution — and we must make sure Democrats staunchly defend the Clean Air Act, and reject any bills that contain these clean air attacks. We need 41 votes to draw a line in the sand and protect the Clean Air Act. Sen. Harkin's support is crucial. On Wednesday, Senate Democrats failed to pass their initial version of a continuing resolution. Their bill preserved some cuts to EPA funding, but the worst components of the Republican bill — including language preventing the EPA and Clean Air Act from reducing carbon pollution — have thankfully been dropped.1 However, since the Senate bill couldn't muster enough support to pass, we know it's only going to get weaker going forward. And already, Harry Reid is signaling he's ready to cave on some Republican cuts.2 Blocking the Clean Air Act's climate authority is a top priority for the Republicans in these budget negotiations. And given that seven Senate Democrats3 are already on board with other bills to do just that or worse, we have few, if any, votes to spare to protect it. Any delay of Clean Air Act enforcement is a significant defeat in our fight against climate change. This budget battle is the first fight, and this is a key moment to shore up support and make sure the Senate is drawing a line that cannot be exploited by anti-science, pro-polluter legislators, for any reason. Thank you for fighting for clean air. Elijah Zarlin, Campaign Manager 1. "Democrats Provide a Counteroffer to GOP Cuts on Energy and Climate," New York Times, March 7, 2011
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