White House Answers Latta Request With Veto Threat

By Mikey Hothi

In a letter to President, Rep. Robert Latta (R-Ohio) urged Obama to support his amednment to the TRAIN Act, a measure that would ensure the EPA considers economic effects when updating air quality standards.

On September 2, President Obama asked EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to withdraw a draft of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which requires the EPA to set standards for pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment, saying the uncertainty in regulations could have a negative impact on the economy.

The TRAIN Act is expected to be considered on the House floor this week and Latta believes that, with the inclusion of his amendment, the bill will receive bipartisan support because of its potential impact on job creation.

“[I] agree that the economy should be considered when implementing regulations and standards with such far reaching effects,” Latta said.

Despite Latta’s confidence, the White House issued a statement threatening to veto the TRAIN Act, saying the bill would undermine two landmark regulations under the Clean Air Act aimed at reducing public exposure to harmful pollutants. 

“While the Administration strongly supports careful analysis of the economic effects of regulation, the approach taken in [the TRAIN Act] would slow or undermine important public health protections,” the stamement reads. “If the President is presented with H.R. 2401, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.”

GOP'ers Tout Anti-EPA Bill, Assail Obama's Tax Plan

By Janie Amaya

Republicans gathered today to voice support for the TRAIN Act, which would commission a new panel to study the cost-benefit analysis of new air pollution regulations imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The bill’s author, Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.), said the legislation would allow businesses to add to their payrolls.

“The politicians, we don’t create jobs,” he said. “But what we can do is get the heck out of the way. That’s why it’s so important that we address these government regulations.”

The bill is expected to hit the House floor tomorrow. While it has a good chance of passing through the lower chamber, the White House has issued a veto threat against it, arguing that it would “slow or undermine important public health protections.”

Obama, himself, has publicly championed his administration’s efforts to roll back rules and regulations, and earlier this month delayed the EPA’s ability to move forward with a key air pollution rule that Republicans said would hurt businesses badly struggling to help reduce the current 9.1 percent unemployment rate.

On Tuesday, Senate Democrats wrote to the President, urging him to not give in to GOP-led efforts to weaken the EPA’s power to regulate the environment.

GOP lawmakers also blasted President Obama’s latest proposal to raise taxes on top earners in order to pay down the nation’s debt and deficit.

“Unfortunately, what we’ve seen is that the President has made a decision; that he’s gonna go into full campaign mode now, 14 months before the election,” said House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.).