House accepts GOP amendments to EPA bill, defeats most Dem proposals

The House also accepted three other GOP proposals from:

• Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), to add pending gas regulations to the list of measures to be analyzed by the committee. Accepted 269-145.
• Charlie Dent (Pa.), to add the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants from the Portland cement industry to rules covered in the bill. Accepted 269-150.
• Bob Latta (R-Ohio), to require EPA to consider the implementation costs and feasibility of setting clean air standards. Accepted 227-192.

The House only approved of two amendments from Democrats that would make minor changes to the bill, H.R. 2401. One from Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) would require a new committee charged with analyzing EPA rules to also analyze the effect rules could have on low-income communities and public health. That was approved in a 337-76 vote.

The House also accepted language from Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) in a 346-74 vote to extend a public comment period in the bill.

But member rejected all other Democrat attempts to change the bill. Failed Democrat amendments were from:

• Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), to add the chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others to the interagency committee created to analyze EPA regulations. Rejected 173-236.
• Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.), to require the committee to examine the effect on clean energy jobs and companies as part of its analysis. Rejected 184-229.
• Lois Capps (D-Calif.), to require the committee to examine the rate of birth defects that would result from a delay in certain rules under the bill. Rejected 195-221.
• Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), to exclude EPA rules that already undergo a cost-benefit analysis. Rejected 165-254.
• Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), to require the committee to also study policies that lead to jobs in the clean energy sector. Rejected 186-232.
• Laura Richardson (D-Calif.), to eliminate language that reduces funding to the Diesel Emission Reductions Act in order to help pay for the bill. Rejected 181-237.