House Republicans head home after futile attacks on government, denying science and obstructing action on climate change

WASHINGTON (August 2, 2013) – Franz Matzner, the Natural Resources Defense Council’s associate director of Government Affairs, issued this statement today as House Republican lawmakers left town after attacking government through a series of measures that would deny science, block carbon pollution limits to fight climate change, enable Congress to veto new federal health or safety standards, and end funding for rural renewable energy:

“House Republicans finished their latest work-period just where they started: mired in an ideological paroxysm against the very idea of responsible governance and unable to pass anything other than a series of message bills destined for the dustbin of history. Sadly, the center ring of this circus was their continued denial of basic science and the harsh impact their constituents back home already feel from climate change. It would be laughable if it weren't so obviously political.

“They did all this while failing to pass both the Interior and Transportation spending bills, showing they’d rather launch a futile, for-show attack on government rather than do their jobs.

“All we can hope is that after some vacation time at the beach, the head-in-the sand crowd will return ready to do some real work for the American people.”