White House ‘Concerned’ that House Bill Doesn’t Cut EPA Funding Enough

by Niv Elis (The Hill) The White House is expressing concerns that a funding bill set for a vote Thursday in the House does not make deep enough cuts for agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The House is debating a package of two spending bills, one for Financial Services and the other for Interior and Environment.

The bills, which advanced through committees along partisan lines, conform to a bipartisan budget cap deal that President Trump signed into law earlier this year.

But Trump’s proposed budget called for slashing government programs by billions of dollars. The White House on Wednesday issued a Statement of Administration Policy expressing dismay that such cuts were not taken into account.

Excerpt from Politico's Morning Energy: It won't resemble what will ultimately become law, but House lawmakers today are poised to pass a minibus, H.R. 6147 (115), complete with EPA and Interior funding. That comes after they adopted a host of amendments late Wednesday evening. Here's some to highlight:— Methane rule: Lawmakers blocked, 215-194, enforcement of the Obama-era EPA rule regulating methane emissions from new oil and gas sources,

— Social cost of carbon: They cleared by a 215-199 margin another measure from Rep. Markwayne Mullin that bars the use of the social cost of carbon in regulatory actions,

— Truck trailers: Lawmakers approved by voice vote an amendment barring EPA from regulating truck trailers under the Clean Air Act,

— Endangered Species Act: The chamber adopted an amendment by a 213-201 vote barring the continued listing of species whose status has not been reviewed every five years, as required. Lawmakers also passed amendments specifically blocking listings for Preble's meadow jumping mouse by a 213-202 vote and the lesser prairie chicken by 216-199, but rejected 206-209 one concerning the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse.

— Chesapeake Bay cleanup: Language weakening EPA's ability to enforce Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals passed by 213-202. Similar efforts have previously cleared the House before stalling in the Senate,

— EPA's hiring authority: Rep. Michael Burgess' amendment, which passed by voice vote, bars the agency from using special hiring authority to attract new specialized employees, like scientists, with salaries exceeding normal federal caps,

— EPA's regulatory authority: An amendment from Rep. Scott Perry, which was adopted by voice vote, would bar EPA from issuing regulations under Section 115 of the Clean Air Act,

— Environmental justice: Rep. Jody Hice's amendment blocking small environmental justice grants fell by a wide 174-240 margin,

— California water wars: Lawmakers also approved an amendment from Rep. Jeffrey Denham by voice vote that would effectively block a new state water allocation plan that would leave more water in the north to help beleaguered fish populations and reduce flows to southern California farms and communities, and,

— Attorney fees: The federal government cannot pay attorney fees under any settlement reached under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act under this adopted amendment, 215-199. READ MORE