Environmental News: Media Center

WASHINGTON (February 28, 2011) -- In response to the two-week Continuing Resolution House Republicans will bring to the House floor this week, NRDC’s Legislative Director Scott Slesinger made the following statement:

“The House Republican leadership has recognized -- at least for now -- the folly of insisting on a seven-month continuing resolution to keep the government running that all but dismantles the Environmental Protection Agency.

“H.R. 1 was far out-of-step with the American people. The public doesn’t want a bill crammed with harmful riders or arbitrary, destructive budget cuts that let polluters foul our air and water and endanger our health.

“Those industry-friendly riders shielded many polluters from the same laws that apply to everybody else, and most of those provisions had been approved without hearings or serious debate -- and in many cases in the dark of night. 

“In deference to public opinion, House Republicans now have dropped these harmful riders from a newly crafted, two-week spending bill. They should not try this maneuver again on future must-pass spending bills. Lawmakers need to remember that public expects Congress to protect the environment and public health -- not polluters looking for special loopholes in spending bills or other legislation.”