Washington, D.C. –Today, Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva and Rep. Mark Pocan released the following statement regarding the Environment Protection Agency’s decision to repeal the Clean Power Plan.
“With today’s action to repeal the Clean Power Plan Secretary Pruitt and President Trump have effectively stifled the progress America was making to ensure a healthy and clean environment for our children, our communities and a robust clean energy jobs sector for our future. The Obama administration’s plan paved a path to create jobs, make our economy more resilient and competitive, and to position the US as a world leader in countering climate change,” said Rep. Grijalva. “The irony in repealing the CPP in the name of jobs is the fact that we just experienced the first month of job loss, after gaining jobs for 7 years straight, due to catastrophic weather events exacerbated by a warming ocean. From an economic, health and environmental lens, the decision to end America’s transition towards clean energy is shameful.”
Rep. Grijalva continued, “For far too long, taxpayers have footed the bill while fossil fuel power plants have polluted our air and water. The U.S. can and should lead the way when it comes to clean energy resources and jobs, but all that starts with accepting that big corporations and polluters have to be held to a certain standard of operation. To further deregulate their faulty practices only harms our country in the long run.”
“President Trump’s decision to repeal the Clean Power Plan will have devastating, long-lasting consequences that are not easily reversed. Continuing to reject science and facts, the Trump Administration is instead choosing to rally the support of oil and gas special interests and engage in political gamesmanship,” said Rep. Pocan. “With this decision, President Trump is surrendering American leadership on one of the central issues of our time, demonstrating to the world that the U.S. has no interest in working to ensure the future of our planet. The U.S. government has an obligation to regulate based on science and we will fight efforts to rewrite this rule. We cannot sit idly by while President Trump deals one blow after another to our planet and our future.”
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The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is the largest caucus within the House Democratic Caucus, with over 70 members standing up for progressive ideals in Washington and throughout the country. Since 1991, the CPC has advocated for progressive policies that prioritize working Americans over corporate interests, fight economic and social inequality, and promote civil liberties. The CPC champions progressive policy solutions like comprehensive immigration reform, a $15 national minimum wage, fair trade, gun violence reform, debt-free college, and making the federal government a Model Employer.
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