Isra-Mart srl : House passes EPA-blocking bill as shutdown looms

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Isra-Mart srl news:

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives yesterday passed legislation that would permanently block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas emissions, cranking up pressure on the Senate to approve proposals designed to limit the watchdog's authority.

As expected, the House voted by 255 to 172 in favour of a bill put forward by Republican House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Fred Upton that would stop the EPA from enforcing its package of climate change rules. Significantly, 19 Democrats, primarily from energy states, backed the bill.
The vote came 24 hours after the Senate rejected a series of amendments designed to similarly block the EPA's climate rules.

The House bill is highly unlikely to pass through Senate in its current form. However, the vote represents a symbolic victory for Republicans who have spent the past few months campaigning against the emissions rules pursued by the Obama administration through the EPA.

It will also increase pressure on the Senate to reach a compromise deal on proposals designed to water down the EPA's authority, particularly after analysis of Wednesday's Senate vote revealed that 64 senators voted for one or more of the four amendments. This suggests a 60-vote super majority could still be secured for a proposal that delays the EPA rules without permanently blocking them.

During a series of clashes on the House floor, Democrats accused Republicans of ignoring scientific evidence and undermining US investment in clean technologies, a stance supported by many green businesses and investors.

However, senior Republicans countered that the bill was necessary to halt the "out-of-control EPA" and protect the economy.

Meanwhile, budget talks aimed at avoiding a government shutdown are going down to the wire with the role of the EPA reported to be a potential make-or-break issue.

All non-essential government activities will go into shutdown at midnight on Friday if talks between Democrats and Republicans fail to reach a deal on a six-month budget package.

The administration has agreed to initial Republican demands for $33bn of spending cuts, but the Republican leadership is now demanding a further $7bn of cuts.

Democrats yesterday blamed the Republican insistence on "policy riders" for the failure to reach a deal.

Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters that "the only things holding up an agreement are women's health and clean air".

Republicans are said to be insisting that government funding for climate change regulations and abortion-related health services is blocked as part of any budget agreement.

However, Republican house speaker John Boehner defended the policy demands and insisted there was still disagreement over the scale of the spending cuts.

In a further sign of the politicisation of climate change science, House Republicans also voted yesterday to reject an amendment proposed by Democrats that would have formally accepted the EPA's controversial ruling that manmade climate change is happening and is a threat to public health.