Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, led by Senator David Vitter of Louisiana, have made the eminently reasonable request that before Gina McCarthy be considered for promotion to the top job at EPA, she answer several requests for transparency. Included is a request for the health studies that EPA is using to justify imposing enormous economic costs on the economy, which the EPA is keeping secret.
McCarthy has failed to answer these simple transparency requests, but chairman Barbara Boxer attemped to rush through committee approval regardless. Vitter and the other Republcians on the committee walked out, denyng Boxer a quorm and stalling McCarthy’s nomination. It was the right thing to do.
American Commitment joined four other leading free-market watchdog groups on the following joint statement:
The undersigned conservative and free market groups and millions of activists we represent applaud Senate Republicans’ move to force Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) disclosure. Today’s walkout was necessitated by EPA nominee Gina McCarthy’s refusal to adequately answer concerns the American people have about EPA policies. Given the enormous influence the EPA has over the American economy and consumers’ energy bills, the EPA should not be allowed to operate in the dark. The American people deserve public access to the health data underlying multi-billion dollar regulations. Science depends on robust peer review.Environment and Public Works Republicans are correct to demand commitments for a more transparent EPA – anything else would be a disservice to the millions of Americans directly affected by the agency.
American CommitmentAmericans for Tax ReformAmericans for ProsperityCompetitive Enterprise InstituteFreedom Action
Free Market Groups Applaud GOP Delay on Gina McCarthy
