McCollum Leads Democrats in Opposing House GOP's Interior-Environment Appropriations Bill
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.), Ranking Member of the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, today led House Democrats opposing the fiscal year 2019 Interior-Environment Appropriations bill during the Appropriations Committee’s mark-up of the legislation. House Republicans advanced their bill on a 25-20 vote with all Democrats voting in opposition.
“The Interior-Environment bill funds important safeguards for clean air and clean water, conservation of our public lands and endangered species, and vital investments in Native health, education, and the safety of tribal communities,” Congresswoman McCollum said. “This bill includes riders that undermine these efforts and makes unacceptable cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency.”
Despite an increased cap for non-defense discretionary spending, the Interior-Environment bill is flat funded. Under this allocation House Republicans chose to cut funding for the EPA – which protects human health and the environment – by $100 million. Additionally, the Republican majority rejected numerous Democratic amendments during today’s markup that would have held administration officials accountable for their usage of taxpayer dollars.
“If enacted, the cuts in this bill will further undermine the EPA’s ability to keep our families and communities healthy and to protect our environment for future generations,” Congresswoman McCollum said. “Today Democrats attempted to remove partisan riders that put polluter profits above the health and wellbeing of the American people and our environment. We also tried to hold Trump administration officials like EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt accountable for their ethical lapses and reckless spending decisions. Republicans refused to stray from party lines and voted down these reasonable attempts to reign in corruption.”
Congresswoman McCollum’s full opening statement at the House Appropriations Committee mark-up is available here.