John, incoherent policy is the name of the game for House Republicans. This week was no different. Let’s take a look at what they’ve been up to and what’s to come – but first, will you take a moment to support our SEEC members in Congress who are fighting around the clock to protect our climate against attacks on all sides?

This week, the House GOP decided it was a good idea to attack the Department of Energy’s utterly non-controversial efficiency standards for tankless water heaters (H.J.Res. 20) while also blocking the EPA’s methane polluter fee (H.J.Res. 35). 

What that means for everyday American families is higher utility bills. Improving the efficiency and safety of our home appliances through this widely popular program would have saved consumers $3.1 billion. Even American manufacturers support these efficiency-improving standards – it’s the foreign manufacturers who oppose them. 

So much for putting American businesses first! 

Another incoherent policy? Overturning the methane polluter fee, which leaves American businesses with no incentive to innovate and improve efficiencies in their industry. Methane leaks from the oil and gas industry represent a serious health hazard and a significant cost that the industry passes on to the consumer.

Isn’t it strange that a party claiming to champion efficiency is striking down these standards that manufacturers and consumers alike benefit from? These misguided resolutions are truly a lose-lose. 

But wait, there’s more!

Here’s a preview of what House Republicans are working to strike down next: 

• California’s Clean Air Act Waiver – This rule allows California to set higher air pollution standards than the federal standards, which has been crucial to allowing the state to deal with its high smog levels.

• Oil and Gas Sulfur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf in High Pressure, High Temperature Conditions – This rule simply would add reporting requirements for companies using new or unusual technologies in offshore drilling, but apparently House Republicans think that simple effort is too burdensome for their Big Oil supporters.

The costs of lack of regulation are collective, while the benefits are privatized. You, your children, and your grandchildren will all face the consequences of climate change, while the fossil fuel billionaires and their GOP lackeys in Congress who profit off of destroying our planet will get away scot-free.

Republicans are only able to get away with anti-environmental moves like these because Congress is controlled by Trump, fossil fuel billionaires, and their GOP lackeys. Our SEEC Members are vital in the fight for our environment, pushing back against the GOP’s anti-climate agenda at every turn and raising alarm bells so nothing gets swept under the rug. They need your support to power their critical work and elect more climate champions to work alongside. That’s where you come in, John! Will you chip in today?

Thank you,
SEEC PAC