UPDATE: the vote took place and we won!!
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Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, with strong support from the big oil companies, has introduced a resolution that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas pollution — and dismantle the bipartisan Clean Air Act.
Murkowski has 40 co-sponsors for the bill – how can this be while the Gulf oil spill is going on? What are these people thinking?
If her measure becomes law, the effects would be immediate. Nearly every step President Obama has taken to promote clean energy would be repealed. It would wreak havoc on the President’s landmark vehicle standards which require cars to get 35 mpg by 2014 and it would block requirements that force large power plants and factories to use new technology and clean energy to reduce their pollution.
If the resolution were to pass, by blocking the new rules for vehicle gas mileage, it would dramatically increase oil consumption and cost citizens millions at the pump. At a time when the deleterious impact of oil consumption is all too obvious, it’s hard to understand how a majority of Senators could vote for this resolution.
Lobbyists representing big business and dirty energy are pressing senators to support Sen. Murkowski. It’s time lawmakers hear from citizens who support combating climate change.
Sen. Murkowski filed her resolution under the Congressional Review Act, which gives Congress the authority to overturn the actions of an executive branch agency. Under the law, resolutions only require 51 votes to pass.
Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) says he’ll support Murkowski’s resolution, giving Republicans bipartisan support for thwarting EPA regulation of greenhouse gases.
Luckily, even if the resolution passes the Senate, the House would have to approve it and then Obama can veto it. A companion bill in the House has only 140 co-sponsors.
Will there be no end to this madness?
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