Chairman Waxman Discovers White House Role in Lobbying Against California Vehicle Standards

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Chairman Waxman Discovers White House Role in Lobbying Against California Vehicle Standards

Since June, Chairman Henry Waxman of the Oversight Committee has been investigating attempts by the Department of Transportation to lobby Congress regarding California’s efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. In a letter to Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters, Chairman Waxman cited a phone message received by a Congressional staffer from Heideh Shahmoradi of the Department of Transportation, in which she stated that the Department was “gauging to see if your boss would be interested in submitting comments or reaching out to your governor’s office for them to submit comments to the docket, since this would greatly impact the auto facilities within your district.” As Chairman Waxman wrote in that letter:

Ms. Shahmoradi’s call raises serious concerns. It is not an appropriate use of federal resources to lobby members of Congress to oppose state efforts to protect the environment. It is especially problematic on an issue that is pending for decision before the Administration and that is supposed to be decided based on an independent assessment of the merits. At the very least, Ms. Shamoradi’s call suggests the presence of an improper hidden agenda.

Now Chairman Waxman has obtained internal e-mails which show that Transportation Secretary Mary Peters personally directed a behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign approved by the White House to oppose EPA approval of California’s landmark standards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. One of several such emails at link~

http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=786