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Greens Urge Senators to Reject Energy Bill. |
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Thursday, November 20, 2003 Contacts: Greens call the Bush energy bill a blatant and reckless assault on the environment, public health, and democracy. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Greens called on the Senate to reject the Bush Administration's Energy Bill, which passed in the House of Representatives. "This bill is a potential disaster for all Americans, for public health, for our natural resources, and for the environment in general," said Jake Schneider, Treasurer of the Green Party of the United States. "If the Senate doesn't vote this bill down soundly, the effects will linger in our air, water, and public lands for generations. This is legislated pillage by corporate interests." Green Party members strongly condemned the secrecy involved in crafting the bill, with the participation of industry lobbies in the Bush-Cheney Energy Task Force behind closed doors. The thousand-plus page bill was only made public on Saturday, making it impossible for critics in Congress to review it adequately before voting on it. Greens say the bill will weaken the Clean Air Act; enable widespread drilling for gas and oil on public lands, including lands on which drilling is currently banned; grant billion-dollar giveaways to the nuclear and coal industries; grant $22 billion in tax breaks to oil and gas companies; provide $18 billion in loan guarantees to private corporations to build a natural gas pipeline from Alaska; exempt polluting energy corporations from the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Acts; impose $29 billion in clean-up costs on the public instead of charging industry for environmental damage caused by MTBE, a gas additive that taints drinking water; and increase U.S. dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear power rather than on safe, clean, renewal energy sources. Citing past bipartisan collusion on anti-environmental legislation, Greens warned Senate Democrats to do everything possible to block the Energy Bill. "We urge Senators to defeat the bill," said Marnie Glickman, co-chair of the national party. "We urge all Americans who care about the environment, public health, and the integrity of our democratic rights to call their Senators and demand that they repel this attack. And we urge voters to reject all candidates for public office, Democrats and Republicans alike, whose acceptance of corporate special-interest money makes monstrosities like this energy bill possible." MORE INFORMATION
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