July 12, 2016

U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative,

You will soon consider H.R. 5538, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017.  On behalf of the more than one million members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), I urge you to support the following amendments:

Rep. Jason Smith’s (R-Mo.) amendment to eliminate funding for the Air, Climate and Energy Research Program by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Rep. Gary Palmer’s (R-Ala.) amendment to eliminate funding for Diesel Emission Reduction grants and apply the savings to the spending reduction account.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s (R-Tenn.) amendment to impose a one percent across-the-board spending reduction to the bill.

Rep. Bradley Byrne’s (R-Ala.) amendment to prohibit funds to implement, administer, or enforce the administration’s National Ocean Policy.

Rep. Sean Duffy’s (R-Wis.) amendment to prohibit funds from being used to implement, administer, or enforce new regulatory actions of $100 million or more. 

Rep. Vicky Hartzler’s (R-Mo.) amendment to prohibit the use of funds to install new ozone monitors to implement or enforce a national ambient air quality standard that is lower than the standard established under the Code of Federal Regulations as in effect on January 1, 2015.

Rep. Bill Huizenga’s (R-Mich.) amendment to bar funds to pay attorney fees in civil suits under the Endangered Species Act, pursuant to a court order that states the fees are in excess of $125 an hour. 

Rep. Steve King’s (R-Iowa) amendment to prohibit the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce the Davis-Bacon prevailing rate wage requirements.

Rep. Doug Lamborn’s (R-Colo.) amendment to prohibit the use of funds to implement or enforce the threatened species listing of the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse.

Rep. Steve Pearce’s (R-N.M.) amendment to remove federal protections of the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse under the Endangered Species Act.

Rep. Scott Perry’s (R-Pa.) amendment to reduce spending for the EPA by 17 percent.

Rep. Tom Price’s (R-Ga.) amendment to prohibit the use of funds to carry out a major rule that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget finds has resulted in or is likely to result in an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more.

Rep. Lee Zeldin’s (R-N.Y.) amendment to prohibit funds to be used to designate a National Marine Monument in the Northwest Atlantic.

Rep. Paul Gosar’s (R-Ariz.) amendment to prohibit funds to carry out the draft EPA-USGS technical report, titled “Protecting Aquatic Life from Effects pf Hydrologic Alternation,” which expands the scope of the Clean Water Act.          

I urge you to oppose the following amendments:

Rep. Joe Courtney’s (D-Conn.) amendment to fund the New England National Scenic Trail at $300,000 within the Operations of the National Park System.

Rep. Keith Ellison’s (D-Minn.) amendment to reprogram appropriated funds to create an Office of Good Jobs for the Interior Department.

All votes on H.R. 5538 will be among those considered in CCAGW’s 2016 Congressional Ratings.

Sincerely,

Tom Schatz
President, CCAGW