House Republicans Chop Clean Water, Air, Wildlife Funding

[cali]

WASHINGTON, DC, July 14, 2011 (ENS) - The Republican-led House Appropriations Committee has approved a restrictive spending bill for Fiscal Year 2012 that allows uranium mining on public lands adjacent to the Grand Canyon, prohibits funding for the U.S. EPA to set greenhouse gas standards, and exempts oil and utility companies from the Clean Air Act.

The EPA's budget would be cut by $1.5 billion and the Interior Department would take a $715 million hit under the bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.

In total, the bill includes $27.5 billion in spending - a reduction of $2.1 billion below last year's level and $3.8 billion below President Barack Obama's budget request for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, and other independent and related agencies.

The Republican members of the committee have used the bill to take aim at the EPA in particular.

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http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2011/2011-07-14-01.html

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Why have a Clean Air act if you are going to exempt the worst offenders?

They boggle the mind with their priorities.

[damntexdem]

2. Even if the debt ceiling is raised, there will be no worthwhile budget this year.

Unless Dems retake the House in 2012, this country is toast -- and will be dragging down the entire world with us.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Shared sacrifice, my ass!

They are targeting the EPA just because they can.

[Bok_Tukalo]

4. My conservative friends always reassure me ....

.... that Republicans favor clean air and water too.

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. But they won't dare cut military overspending one little inch. Astonishing.

Telling.