Congress
Coal ash, Keystone riders dropped from transportation bill
Congress has reached an agreement and passed a transportation bill that does not include provisions that would block the EPA from adopting new coal ash standards and approve the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Although the provisions were not directly relevant to the Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Act of 2012 (H.R. 4348), some Congress members have been using as many bills as possible to promote the construction of the pipeline and prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing laws.
Mountaintop Removal Moratorium Introduced
Recognizing the mounting humanitarian crisis from mountaintop removal mining in the Appalachian coalfields, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) joined Congressional representatives from across the nation today and introduced H.R. 5959, The Appalachian Communities Health Emergency (ACHE) Act.
Senate defeats Rand Paul effort to gut food stamp program
Last Wednesday the U.S. Senate rejected an attempt by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul to gut the food stamp program. The vote was 65 to 33 to table what was called the Rand Paul Block Grant amendment.
Sen. Paul's amendment was to the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 (S. 3240, or the Farm Bill). It would have cut program funding by 45% next year, and permanently frozen future funding with no adjustment for increases in food prices or poverty, according to the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness.
EPA should hang tough in coalfields
Compared with poisoned water, elevated rates of cancer and birth defects, floods, blasting, ubiquitous dust, close encounters with coal trucks, poverty and the knowledge that anyone who protests the abuses is taking a personal risk … ask Marie Gunnoe, or the delegation of Kentuckians shut out from meeting with U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers.
Support members taking action in DC
UPDATE, 9 pm June 6th:
Seven Kentuckians protesting mountaintop mining were arrested today in Congressman Hal Rogers' office for taking part in a non-violent a day of action called Appalachia Rising. In all, 22 citizens were arrested in congressional offices from West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Kentuckians arrested included Stanley Sturgill, Teri Blanton, Tress Spencer, Mary Love, Carey Henson and Erika Skaggs. As of a few moments ago, all have been released.
Photos and more details are available on the Facebook page of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and at appalachiarising.org.
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