Which 8 Democrats Just Voted to Effectively Repeal the EPA's Clean Power Plan? by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees Follow

House Republicans, along with a handful of Democratic friends, have been busy this week attacking the Affordable Care Act. But they managed to take time off from that this week to focus on another pastime: attacking the EPA.

Yesterday, the House passed the "Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015." Is this bill about "protecting ratepayers"? Of course not. It's an assault on the EPA designed to effectively repeal the Clean Power Plan:

This bill would delay the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) implementation of the Clean Power Plan, rules proposed in 2014 to reduce emissions at existing electric power plants that are expected to be finalized later this summer.  The Clean Power Plan would require states, territories and Indian tribes to develop and meet individual goals for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity sector. H.R. 2042 would delay implementation of the forthcoming EPA carbon emissions reduction rules until any legal challenges are complete and no longer subject to further appeal or judicial review. Additionally, the bill would allow states to opt out of developing an emissions reduction plan if their governor certifies that creating one would cause a "significant adverse effect" on electricity ratepayers in their state or on the reliability of the state's electricity system.

This delay, which could last years and burden the agency with exorbitant legal costs on its already limited budget, is effectively a repeal of the EPA’s rules.  It effectively denies climate change and reverses decades of Clean Air Act precedent and practice, while allowing unchecked carbon pollution by existing power plants – the largest source of uncontrolled carbon pollution in the United States.  By preventing the Clean Power Plan from even starting, thus preventing its efforts to cut carbon pollution by 30% in 2030, this bill puts both the environmental and public health of our nation at risk.

The bill passed 247 to 180. 

 

239 Republicans and 8 Democrats voted for it. 176 Democrats and 4 Republicans voted against it.

Here are the 8 Democrats:
Nick Ashford (NE-02)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Andre Carson (IN-07)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-09)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Terri Sewell (AL-07)
Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09)
Here are the 4 Republicans:
Carlos Curbelo (FL-26)
Bob Dold (IL-10)
Chris Gibson (NY-19)
Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02)

There were roll call votes on three amendments.

Frank Pallone (NJ-06) offered an amendment to require a governor wishing to opt out of the Clean Power Plan to include a certification that electric generating units are sources of carbon pollution that contribute to human-induced climate change; and the state or federal plan to reduce carbon emissions from electric generating units would promote national security, economic growth and public health by addressing human induced climate change through the increased use of clean energy, energy efficiency and reductions in carbon pollution.

It failed 181 to 245.

179 Democrats and 2 Republicans voted for it. 241 Republicans and 4 Democrats voted against it.
The two Republicans were Bob Dold (IL-10) and Chris Gibson (NY-19).

Here are the 4 Democrats:

Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Terri Sewell (AL-07)

Bobby Rush (IL-01) offered an amendment to require a governor's determination and shall also include certification that the inapplicability of a state or federal plan will not have a significant adverse effect on costs associated with a State's plan to respond to extreme weather events associated with human-caused climate change, including flooding, intense storms, frequent wildfires, and increased drought.

It failed 182 to 243.

Five members of each party voted with the other side.

Here are the 5 Republicans who voted for it:

Bob Dold (IL-10)
Chris Gibson (NY-19)
Morgan Griffith (VA-09)
Pete King (NY-02)
Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02)

Here are the 5 Democrats who voted against it:

Pete Aguilar (CA-31)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Terri Sewell (AL-07)

Jerry McNerney (CA-09) offered an amendment to require a state public utility commission/public service commission and the Electric Reliability Organization to conduct an analysis of any state or federal plan.

It failed 177 to 250.

7 Democrats joined Republicans in voting against it:

Nick Ashford (NE-02)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Eliot Engel (NY-16)
Raul Grijalva (AZ-03)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Terri Sewell (AL-07)