House Republicans--and a Handful of Democrats--Vote to Block the EPA from Doing Its Job

Yesterday, the House voted on legislation that would allow the Energy Department to veto EPA rules with $1 billion or more in costs if DOE thinks that such rules would harm the economy.  This bill, deceptively titled the Energy Consumers Relief Act of 2013, is just the latest episode in the GOP's war against the EPA, one of its governmental bête noires, and against science, more broadly. The House GOP is angry because the EPA recently increased the social cost of carbon for federal agency rule-making.

I want to get through the amendments to the bill, and then I'll report on the final vote on the bill itself.
Rep. Tim Murphy (PA-18) proposed an amendment to block the EPA from weighing the benefits of curbing carbon emissions when crafting major energy-related regulations.  The House passed this amendment 234 to 178. 15 Democrats voted with the Republican caucus (save three members) in favor of this anti-science amendment.

The three Republicans who stood up against their party's anti-science and, frankly, anti-human position were Chris Gibson (NY-19), Walter Jones (NC-03), and Dennis Ross (FL-15).

Here are the 15 Democrats who should be shamed for their anti-science and anti-human vote:

Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Bob Brady (PA-01)
G. K. Butterfield (NC-01)
Andre Carson (IN-07)
Mike Doyle (PA-14)
Bill Enyart (IL-12)
Marcia Fudge (OH-11)
Gene Green (TX-29)
David Loebsack (IA-02)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
Gregory Meeks (NY-05)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Nick Rahall (WV-03)
Albio Sires (NJ-08)

Bob Brady's vote doesn't make much sense to me considering he represents a deep blue district including Philadelphia and its suburbs.  He deserves a call.

Henry Waxman offered an amendment striking language allowing the Department of Energy to veto EPA rules.  It failed 183 to 230. Only 1 Republican--Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48)--voted for it. Eight Democrats shamefully voted against it.

Here are those eight:

John Barrow (GA-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Pete Gallego (TX-22)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Nick Rahall (WV-03)

Democrat Gerald Connolly (VA-11) offered an amendment preventing a section of the bill from affecting air and water quality. It failed 182 to 224.

Only 1 Republican--Chris Gibson--voted for it.

And here are the 5 Democrats that don't care about clean air and clean water:

John Barrow (GA-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Nick Rahall (WV-03)

The final bill passed 232 to 181.   Every Republican voted for it. Nine Democrats joined them.

John Barrow (GA-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Pete Gallego (TX-22)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Nick Rahall (WV-03)
Filemon Vela (TX-34)
Shame on all of them.

Thankfully, this legislation wouldn't make it past the Senate. However, it shows how strong the hold of the fossil fuel interests is on the GOP--and on too many Democrats.