House GOP Loads Bill with Anti-Environment Riders, Threatens Shutdown

Voting largely along party lines, House Republicans loaded a stopgap funding measure with amendments that would block EPA climate rules, gut landscape conservation, stymie EPA rulemaking on coal ash, prevent preservation of national monuments, stop the "Greening the Capitol" program, quash a Chesapeake Bay cleanup, de-fund a National Park in former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's district, hamstring EPA's effort to control mercury air pollution, and fire President Obama's climate negotiator and policy "czars." The House could pass the spending measure today, sending it to the Senate on a take-it-or-leave it basis, with GOP leaders threatening a government shutdown if the Senate does not comply.

David M. Herszenhorn reports on the stopgap bill for the New York Times February 17, 2011.

SEE ALSO:

"Boehner Says Spending Must Be Cut, But Senate Dems Won’t Budge" (The Hill)

"Government Shutdown? GOP, Democrats Swap Charges" (AP)

"Groups Blast Bishop Over 'Gutting' Landscape Conservation" (Deseret News)

"House Republicans Seek To Block Many EPA Rules" (McClatchy)

"Democrats Mount Rear-Guard Action Against Republican Assault on EPA Climate Rules" (ClimateWire)

"Mike Pompeo (R-Koch) Gets To Work Slashing EPA Funding" (Grist)

"As House Launches Defunding Blitz, Democrats Warn Against Reckless Cuts" (ClimateWire)

"Republican Duo Supported by Energy Industry Seek to Rein in EPA on Coal Ash" (Center for Public Integrity)

"Inside the GOP Spending Bill Sausage Factory" (Salon)

"Republicans Launch Sneak Attack on Clean Water in Budget" (DC Bureau)

"House Axes Presidio Funding in Swipe at Rep. Pelosi" (Greenwire)

"Rep. Whitfield Scores One for Coal, Stripping $1.5M From 'Greening the Capitol'" (Greenwire)

"Texas Republicans Aim To Stop New Clean-Air Rules Through Spending Bill" (Dallas Morning News)

"House CR Amendments Attempt To Rein in EPA" (Feedstuffs)

"More Votes Piling Up in House Tonight" (The Hill)

"GOP Votes To Defund Obama's Policy 'Czars'" (E2 Wire)

"Republican Moves to Strip Funds for Chesapeake Bay Cleanup" (Green/NYT)

"GOP 'Carpet Bombing' of Environmental Protection Continues" (Mother Jones)