Congress Caves to GOP Blackmail over Debt Ceiling, Throwings Frontline Communities Under the Bus

In response to the Senate passing the Fiscal Responsibility Act, Alice Madden, Policy and Political Director at Greenpeace USA, said:

“Caving to GOP threats to force a catastrophic default, Congress has thrown communities who are most harmed by the oil and gas industry under the bus. Despite over 225 environmental & climate justice organizations calling upon Congress to pass a clean debt ceiling bill, the Senate let provisions that fly in the face of everything both science and justice demand remain in this dirty deal.

“None of these anti-democratic and pro-polluter measures have any place in a bill meant to raise the debt ceiling. Even the fundamental arguments in favor of gutting NEPA are flawed. Numerous studies conducted under both Republican and Democratic administrations, as well as by academics, have shown that NEPA is not the cause of permitting delays. In fact, delays were most often due to inadequate agency staffing, poor project design, or slow responses from applicants—and not red tape. These provisions are a win for polluters, and the elected officials in their pocket.”