Republicans’ Draconian Spending Proposal Comes Under Fire

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Contacto:
Nick Berning, 703-587-4454, [email protected]

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Friends of the Earth’s president, Erich Pica, had the following response to the continuing resolution to fund the federal government that the Republican House leadership proposed last night:

“Last night the Republican leadership made it clear that its priority is to reward corporate polluters at the expense of the American public. It’s no surprise the Republicans released this proposal on a Friday night, when few people were paying attention.

“The bill released last night is unconscionable. It would endanger the health of millions of Americans by slashing funds needed to ensure safe drinking water and clean air.  It also uses budget gimmicks to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies from protecting Americans from global warming.

“There are ways to get our fiscal house in order that protect public health and the environment.  Unfortunately, the ideologues in the Republican leadership have chosen to make spending cuts that hurt Americans.

“Just as telling as the programs that are decimated are those left intact. Republicans propose to spend more than $560 million for the office of fossil energy, while slashing money for renewables. In the same vein, they have eliminated the façade that the Department of Energy’s  Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program was anything other than a slush fund for nuclear reactors by protecting $22.5 billion in authority that would prop up the nuclear industry while eliminating $25 billion that could go to clean, safe alternatives.

“This budget will take America in the wrong direction and should be rejected.”

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