U.S. House Votes to Gut Public Health and Environmental Protections

Media Contacts
Nathan Willcox

Environment America

Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted for a bill that makes it virtually impossible for federal agencies – like the Environmental Protection Agency – to protect public health and the environment. The bill favors special interests over the public by prioritizing industries’ profits over the health and safety of Americans.

“Congress should not try to maximize polluters’ profits at the expense of Americans’ health and the environment, but that’s exactly what the House of Representatives voted for today,” said Lauren Randall, Clean Air Associate for Environment America. “Prioritizing a standard’s cost to industry over its public health benefits is as absurd as asking a doctor not to fix a patient’s broken bone because of the cost to the hospital,” said Randall.

The bill, called the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 3010) is just one of a trio of bills – including the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act (H.R. 527) and the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act (H.R. 10) – that the House is voting on this week and next that would block public health and environmental protections. All of these bills threaten years of progress in protecting the public interest ahead of special interests.

“Our Representatives should be looking out for Americans’ health and well being, not siding with the interests of corporate polluters” said Randall. “We urge our Senators to put Americans’ safety first and oppose these bills.”