Big polluters are working hard to make deals that would threaten the air we breathe, the water we drink and the public lands we all enjoy. In fact, they are trying to attach these dirty deals to just about every piece of legislation considered by Congress, including the bill to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year.
A handful of senators and representatives are insisting that dirty air deals and other proposals to block environmental safeguards -- 19 in all -- be hitched to the next spending bill. These "riders" wouldn't save the government a cent, but they would block public health and environmental protections. Congress and President Obama will decide in the coming days whether the polluters get their way.
Leading public health organizations, including the American Lung Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have condemned these potential deals as serious public health threats, saying they "would strip away sensible Clean Air Act protections that safeguard Americans and their families from air pollution."
We are truly at a critical moment that will determine whether we as a nation make a commitment to cleaning up our air and water and preserving our public lands. Now is the time for President Obama to clearly state that he will veto any legislation that comes before him -- including a spending bill -- if it includes riders that compromise our health, air, water or valued lands.
What to do
Send a message right away urging President Obama to publicly commit to vetoing any legislation that includes harmful riders that would jeopardize protections for our health and environment.
To learn more about this issue click here:
https://secure.nrdconline.org/site/Advocac...
Posted By: Siebra Muhammad
Friday, April 1st 2011 at 11:50AM
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