U.S. House approves $26 bln environmental bill (Reuters UK)

[Up2Late]

(Is the US MSM Hiding this story too? Did I miss this in the US Press or what? I'm not seeing this in the US Reuters or the other press.)

U.S. House approves $26 bln environmental bill

Fri 29 Jul 2005 0:38:08 BST

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a $26 billion bill that funds programs for the environment and federal parks, but sets significant cuts to clean water programs. By a vote of 410-10, the House cast its final vote on the appropriations bill to fund the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies for the year starting Oct. 1.

This was the first of 11 major spending bills to clear the House. The Senate is expected to approve the measure by the end of this week, sending it to President George W. Bush for his signature. Next year, the EPA would spend $900 million for states to operate clean water programs. That's $191 million below this year's level, but $120 million above Bush's February request.

As House and Senate negotiators put the finishing touches on the legislation earlier this week, some Democrats complained about tight spending controls for environmental programs as a result of the federal budget passed by Republicans in April. Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said that because of that budget, "Tax cuts are our number-one priority over everything else, except fighting the dumbest war since 1812."

Republicans defended the bill, however, noting that it raises federal spending for American Indian health care, schools and hospitals and for firefighting in wilderness lands. The legislation also would place new prohibitions on the use of pregnant women, infants or children as testing subjects for pesticides. A moratorium on testing other people would be in place until the EPA issues new federal rules.

<http://today.reuters.co.uk/News/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=N28394201>

(more at link above)

[Deja Q]

1. Why do they bother at all?

We'll just see how the Repubbie spin on this is carried out...

[Up2Late]

2. Of course, they will say they increased the budget for the EPA...

...by $120 million Dollars, when they really cut the EPA Budget by $191 million from last year.

Hey, and they threw us a Bone with this: "...The legislation also would place new prohibitions on the use of pregnant women, infants or children as testing subjects for pesticides...."

[Up2Late]

3. Kick n/t

:kick: