The petition to Senate Committee on Appropriations Vice Chair Patrick Leahy and Senate Democrats on the Committee on Appropriations reads:
"Hold the line against funding cuts to climate action, science and preparedness. Fully fund NASA's Earth science missions, NOAA's weather satellites, U.S. contributions to international climate funds, the EPA and all other crucial climate-related programs and agencies."
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Faced with deadly hurricanes that have caused billions of dollars in damage, historic flooding that has destroyed entire communities and deadly wildfires that are raging unchecked in California, what did extreme right-wing House Republicans decide to cut in their budget?
Weather satellites. NASA climate research. Regulations on methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases. Funds to help developing nations adapt to climate change. House Republicans slashed these and other science and environmental programs – all to pay for tax cuts for their wealthy donors. Their budget is a Koch brothers dream come true, an anti-environmental wish list for right-wing billionaires.
The Senate will vote on its own budget any day now. Unless Democrats on the Appropriations Committee stand strong in defending environmental protection and research, we will lose crucial climate programs – at a time when taking action is more critical than ever.
In their budget, House Republicans reduced funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by a staggering $534 million from last year's levels, a cut that would require massive layoffs of scientists and enforcement staff.1 They also specified that the EPA cannot use funds to enforce two key climate rules – one that regulates methane pollution and another that allows the EPA to factor in the social cost of climate change when creating regulations.2
Not only do Republican right-wing extremists want to stop fighting climate change, they want to prevent scientists from even studying it. Their budget cuts NASA's Earth science missions by more than $200 million from 2017 levels, and eliminates funding for a key NASA satellite that would provide long-term data on global atmospheric and oceanic conditions.3 They also cut funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for two polar-orbiting satellites,4 which are the most important satellites for accurately predicting weather three days and beyond.5
If the right-wing Republican ideologues ram through this draconian budget without Democratic resistance, the devastating budget cuts would make us less safe and less prepared for the future in our warming world. Fortunately, the Kochbots leading the House of Representatives do not get the final say on the budget. The Senate now has to pass their own version, and then negotiators will settle on a final budget compromise.
The Senate has already passed legislation covering some parts of the budget, including a bill that would restore funding for NASA's Earth science missions and NOAA's polar satellites.7 However, many parts of the Senate budget, including funding for the EPA, are still unknown. We need to make sure that Senate Democrats do not cave by agreeing to any compromises that cut funding to climate programs.
Tell Senate Democrats: Hold the line against funding cuts to climate action, science and preparedness. Click the link below to sign the petition:
- Brandy Doyle, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets
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Pruitt – who is currently under investigation over his use of taxpayer-funded flights – has said he would ideally “do away” with tax credits for wind and solar so they can “stand on their own and compete against coal and natural gas and other sources”. He made no mention of axing subsidies enjoyed for decades by oil, coal and gas producers. This month, researchers at Oil Change International estimated that the US provides around $20bn a year in subsidies to fossil fuels, through incentives, credits, low royalty rates and other measures. |
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