[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 7 (Wednesday, February 2, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1500
 
          SUPPORT URGED FOR RULE ON EPA CABINET ELEVATION BILL

  (Mr. RICHARDSON asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute, and to revise and extend his remarks, and include 
extraneous matter.)
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, the most important vote today on the EPA 
issue is to vote on the rule, and the bipartisan environmental group, 
the League of Conservation Voters, has sent every Member a letter 
stating that this vote will be used in its environmental scorecard.
  Mr. Speaker, elevating the Environmental Protection Agency to Cabinet 
status is long overdue. The United States was the only industrialized 
nation to participate in the 1992 Rio Summit that did not have 
ministerial-level representation. If the United States wants to 
maintain its leadership position in world markets for exporting 
environmental technologies, and improving environmental quality around 
the globe, the Administrator of the EPA must be viewed as representing 
the President and the United States of America on par with the Cabinet 
members of our trading partners and partners in global environmental 
improvement. Elevating EPA to the Department of Environmental 
Protection will create a level-global playing field for developing 
national and international environmental policies. The rest of the 
world is looking to the United States to lead the way in improving 
environmental quality at home and abroad. A vote for H.R. 3425 is an 
important first step at building the U.S. leadership role in this vital 
area.
  Mr. Speaker, I include herewith the letter to which I referred from 
the League of Conservation Voters bearing today's date:

                                League of Conservation Voters,

                                                 February 2, 1994.
     Representative,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Re: H.R. 3425, EPA Cabinet elevation bill, support the rule.
       Dear Representative: Since 1970, the League of Conservation 
     Voters (LCV) has served as the bipartisan, political arm of 
     the national environmental community. Each year LCV publishes 
     the National Environmental Scorecard, which details the 
     voting records and actions of Members of Congress on 
     environmental legislation. The Scorecard is distributed to 
     LCV members and concerned voters nationwide.
       On behalf of LCV, we urge you to support the rule on H.R. 
     3425, the Department of Environmental Protection Act, 
     introduced by Representatives Conyers (D-MI) and Boehlert (R-
     NY). Proponents of anti-environmental amendments are seeking 
     to defeat the rule on the EPA Cabinet Elevation bill to 
     permit far-ranging policy amendments beyond the 
     organizational nature of this bill. Anti-environmental 
     policies promoted as amendments, however, will swiftly derail 
     the bipartisan effort to elevate EPA to cabinet status.
       H.R. 3425 is an organizational bill which does not address 
     policy issues. The Rules Committee has crafted a fair rule 
     that ensures that this bill deals only with organizational 
     issues, not controversial anti-environment measures that 
     would prevent the cabinet elevation of EPA.
       LCV is especially concerned about harmful amendments in 
     three areas: cost-benefit or risk assessment, ``takings,'' 
     and ``unfunded federal mandates.'' Cost-benefit or risk 
     assessment amendments require EPA to conduct detailed studies 
     of the risks addressed by a promulgated rule compared to all 
     other risks faced by the public. Cost-benefit amendments are 
     burdensome, unnecessary, and attempt to apply a ``one size 
     fits all'' approach to specific environmental problems. The 
     end result is to undercut EPA's ability to protect the health 
     and safety of the American people.
       A second threat which faces the EPA Cabinet bill is a 
     takings amendment. State and Federal constitutions already 
     protect property owners by requiring compensation when a 
     court finds, on a case by case basis, that the government has 
     ``taken'' private property. Takings bills would create a 
     massive bureaucracy and mandate diversion of scarce taxpayer 
     dollars to meaningless analyses or unnecessary payments.
       Lastly, the issue of unfunded federal mandates may be 
     raised as part of the debate on this bill. Unfunded federal 
     mandates should not become an excuse to roll back important 
     environmental, health, and labor laws. The problem is not 
     only a lack of money, but also poor funding priorities and 
     policies. Policies that establish the ``polluter-pays'' 
     principle, and reduce anti-environmental subsidies, can 
     ensure that needed federal funds needed are raised without 
     budget shocks.
       In summary, LCV urges Members to support the rule on the 
     EPA Cabinet bill. LCV's Political Committee will almost 
     certainly consider including a vote on the rule on H.R. 3425 
     and any other weakening amendments allowed under the rule 
     when compiling its 1994 Scorecard.
       Thank you for your consideration of this issue. If you need 
     more information, please call Betsy Loyless in my office.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Jim Maddy,
     President.

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