Dingell Bill Stifles State Actions to Fight Global Warming

June 8, 2007

Leading Democrats, including House Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell , are obstructing progress on climate change by supporting a draft bill that would prohibit states and EPA from setting and enforcing automobile greenhouse gas emissions standards, Republicans for Environmental Protection, a national grassroots organization, said today.

"Chairman Dingell's support of this obstructionist legislation is disheartening for all of us who are genuinely concerned about the threat of climate change. It is a clear sign that the chairman is still willing to place the myopic views of the auto industry ahead of our nation's--and the world's--long-term best interest," said REP Government Affairs Director David Jenkins.

"The Democrats are always quick to criticize Republicans on the climate issue, but obviously they still have work to do getting their own house in order," Jenkins said.

"States have taken the initiative to deal proactively with global warming because the federal government has chosen to sit on its hands. Unfortunately, just as broad support for greenhouse gas emissions reductions has begun to build nationwide, along come leading Democrats, including Dingell (MI) and Rick Boucher (VA), chairman of the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee, with legislation that not only would stifle state efforts, but prohibit EPA from setting tailpipe emissions standards for global warming gases," REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso said.

"This comes only weeks after the Supreme Court ruled that EPA has such authority. Such obstructionism is incomprehensible," DiPeso said.

"Here we have a Democrat-sponsored bill that would effectively block aggressive action to address climate change, actions set in motion by a conservative court and being pushed by prominent Republican governors," said Jenkins. "How ironic is that?"

"Instead of standing in the way of the states, Congress should be supporting their initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," DiPeso said. "Instead of pandering to the Detroit automakers, Congress should encourage EPA to move forward with complementary national standards to reduce automotive emissions of greenhouse gases."