Critical Budget Threats Avoided – For Now

WASHINGTON  – Congress has reached agreement to fund the government through September, allowing the Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Energy and Interior to escape – for now -- the devastating budgets cuts sought by President Trump that would have threatened public health, blocked smart investments in clean energy and eroded protections of our natural heritage. 

The following is a statement by Scott Slesinger, legislative director of the Natural Resources Defense Council. 

“Thanks to Democratic leaders in both houses, Congress rightly responded to public pressure by rejecting the truckload of proposals that would roll back environmental safeguards that long have protected our health and our environment and conserve resources. Lawmakers, though, should have omitted a pernicious policy rider that aims to reject the scientific consensus that burning trees for power will damage our climate. Riders like this should never see the light of day. When such policy riders return as Congress takes up Trump’s fiscal year 2018 budget, we will fight them.’’ 

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 2 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Chicago; Bozeman, Montana; and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.