Recently, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who represents New York's 21st District, voted along with most of her House Republican colleagues for two pieces of draconian, right-wing, anti-environmental legislation that was opposed by several well-respected health and medical organizations, including the American Lung Association, the American Public Health Association and the Asthma Network. These organizations claim that the two bills,
H.R. 1030 and
H.R. 1029, both of which passed the House, would cripple the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ability to protect and enforce clean air and clean water standards by prohibiting the EPA from evaluating peer-reviewed research based on confidential patient information and also by allowing individuals other than scientists and technical experts to serve on its advisory panel.
According to a press release from Harold P. Winter, the president of the American Lung Association, "these bills are just another effort by polluters and their allies in Congress to undermine the EPA's ability to protect the air we breathe."
The
full press release from the American Lung Association:
Bills would threaten EPA’s ability to protect public health
Washington, D.C. (March 18, 2015)—
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1030, a bill that would cripple the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to protect public health based on the best available science. On Tuesday, the House passed H.R. 1029, a bill that would make it easier for representatives of corporations regulated by EPA’s actions to serve on the EPA’s board. Harold P. Wimmer, National President and CEO of the American Lung Association, issued the following statement in response:
“The American Lung Association is disappointed that the House of Representatives passed two pieces of legislation this week that would threaten the EPA’s ability to protect public health.
“These bills are just another effort by polluters and their allies in Congress to undermine the EPA’s ability to protect the air we breathe. The American Lung Association urges the Senate to reject both bills and stand up against all efforts to dismantle the EPA’s work to ensure we have strong clean air safeguards protecting the health of our nation.”
Five leading health and medical organizations signed a letter opposing both of these bills: Allergy and Asthma Network, American Lung Association, American Public Health Association, American Thoracic Society, and Trust for America’s Health. From their letter:
“The Secret Science Reform Act of 2015 will compel the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to either ignore the best science by prohibiting the agency from considering peer-reviewed research that is based on confidential patient information or force EPA to publicly release confidential patient information, which would violate federal law. This is an untenable outcome that would completely undermine the ability of the EPA to perform its responsibilities under the Clean Air Act and myriad other federal laws. The legislation will not improve EPA’s actions; rather, it will stifle public health protections.
“The EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015 will also undermine the scientific basis for EPA policy, specifically by compromising the integrity of the panel that reviews that science. EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) is composed of independent scientific and technical experts who are tasked with evaluating the science and providing advice that EPA uses to inform its decision making. The current law provides for balanced panels and experts with diverse backgrounds.”
What's perhaps most interesting, though, is that the lone House Republican who opposed these two bills was Congressman Chris Gibson (R - Kinderhook), who represents the neighboring Upstate New York-based 19th Congressional District in the mid-Hudson Valley.
From the Glens Falls Post-Star, March 25, 2015:
U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson, R-Kinderhook, who is considering a run for statewide office in 2018, is the only Republican House member that voted against the “Secret Science” bill that passed the House on March 18, largely along party lines.
The bill prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency from “proposing, finalizing or disseminating a covered action unless all scientific and technical information relied on to support such action is the best available science, specifically identified, and publicly available ... .”
Gibson also voted against similar legislation in the last congressional session, said Matt Sheehey, a spokesman for the congressman.
“Congressman Gibson voted ‘No’ on HR 1030 because he has concerns it could prevent the EPA from using the best science available when making rules,” Sheehey said. “Many peer-reviewed research studies utilize confidentiality agreements that cannot be publicly released due to federal law.”
The bill -- dubbed Secret Science Reform Act of 2015 -- passed the House March 18 by a vote of 241-175, with only for Democrats voting in support and Gibson the only Republican voting against, according to the Library of Congress government information web site.
Elsewhere in the region Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, voted against, and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, voted in support.
During the 2014 election cycle, now-Congresswoman Stefanik was a major recipient of campaign contributions from oil, gas and fossil fuel interests, who have long sought to weaken and undermine EPA enforcement of clean air and clean water standards. According to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics at opensecrets.org, Stefanik received almost $30,000 in donations from oil and gas PACs, including $5,000 from Exxon Mobil, $5,000 from Chevron, $10,000 from Koch Industries and $1,000 from Halliburton.