![]() |
Dear Friend, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has agreed to allow a vote on an amendment to a small business bill being debated today that would nullify the EPA's authority to use the Clean Air Act to regulate the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.1 The Republicans, with help from coal state Democrats, may have the votes to pass this radical sneak attack on EPA. If the amendment doesn't pass, Republicans will try to pass another bill to cripple EPA that has even more support — Sen. Jay Rockefeller's bill to delay implementation of EPA climate rules for coal plants and other stationary sources of greenhouse gas pollutants. 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. Today, the Senate may also join the House in passing a second temporary spending measure that keeps the government funded until April 9th. This comes after Senate Democrats failed last week 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 — had thankfully been dropped.2 However, since the Senate bill couldn't muster enough support to pass, we know it's only going to get weaker going forward. And it didn't take Harry Reid long to say he was ready to cave on some Republican cuts.3 Blocking the Clean Air Act's climate authority is a top priority for the Republicans in these budget negotiations. And given that seven Senate Democrats4 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. It is unclear why the Senate Majority Leader would allow a floor vote on dangerous bills to gut EPA authority to regulate the pollution that causes global warming. But it's crystal clear that 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. "Senate Democrats scramble to defend EPA," Politico, March 15, 2011
|
![]() |
To remove yourself (5849376 2359847) from this list, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/s?i=18075-3362360-_kkuWgx To change your email address or update your contact info, please visit: http://act.credoaction.com/subscrip/coa.html?id=18075-3362360-_kkuWgx This is a message from CREDO / Working Assets. © 2011 CREDO. All rights reserved. Questions? Send us an e-mail or write us at: 101 Market Street, Suite 700, San Francisco, CA 94105. |

