Defend the Clean Air Act

A message from CREDO Action:

On Monday, January 31, we sent more than 68,000 public comments to the EPA in support of their crucial effort to limit carbon pollution and other greenhouse gasses. Just in time.

The same day, Senators launched their first legislative attacks on the Clean Air Act. One bill, from Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller, would delay the EPA's authority to limit climate pollution and already has the cosponsoring of six other Senate Dems. Another, from Republican John Barrasso, goes much further. It prevents the EPA and all other government agencies from addressing global warming in any way — undermining the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act, among others.¹

A strong defense of the EPA by President Obama — including wielding his veto pen if necessary — will be needed to defeat these radical measures that endanger our public health. It's crucial that Obama come out strongly for the EPA right now. President Obama has continued to defend the EPA, but not strongly. His State of the Union address included a reference to the importance of protecting our air and water, but didn't include specific mentions of the EPA or climate change.

With two bills attacking the EPA on the table, the time has come for him to step up his defense.

The sad reality is that thanks to record high levels of climate denial and big polluter influence in Congress, Clean Air Act supporters in the Senate are now in a minority. According to Politico, only 36 Senators can be counted on to defend the Clean Air Act, and eight are on the fence.²

That means President Obama's support is crucial to stop any bills that undermine the EPA's ability to fight climate change, and stop any attempts to hold EPA funding hostage as part of negotiations on other must pass legislation, like the upcoming vote to raise the debt ceiling.

More than anyone else, President Obama has the power to make sure the public knows that any Senator who votes to undermine the EPA is voting with big polluters and against public health and our most proven tool to protect it.

Tell President Obama: Strongly defend the EPA from Senate attacks and call out those who side with big polluters and against our health.

Click here to send a message to President Obama:

"With Senate climate denial at record high levels, Americans are depending on you to strongly defend the EPA and Clean Air Act. You must veto any bills that undermine the EPA, and publicly declare that any vote to do so is a vote for big polluters and against public health."

Elijah Zarlin, Campaign Manager CREDO Action

1. "Barrasso's EPA Assault," Mother Jones, Jan 31, 2011.
2. "Senate Whip Count: EPA Climate Regulations," Politico, Jan 11, 2011