Collins to vote against Trumps EPA pick

[herding cats]

Source: The Hill

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) will vote against confirming President Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Collins is the only Senate Republican to come out against Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma attorney general who sued the EPA 14 times during former President Obama’s administration.

“I have significant concerns that Mr. Pruitt has actively opposed and sued the EPA on numerous issues that are of great importance to the state of Maine, including mercury controls for coal-fired power plants and efforts to reduce cross-state air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions,” Collins told Maine Public Radio on Wednesday.

“His actions leave me with considerable doubts about whether his vision for the EPA is consistent with the agency’s critical mission to protect human health and the environment.”
Senators could vote on confirming Pruitt as early as Friday and despite Collins’s defection, Pruitt is still likely to be confirmed. The GOP's other 51 senators are likely to vote for him, and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said he has “the right experience for the position.”


Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/319766-sen-collins-to-vote-against-trumps-epa-pick

[Blue Idaho]

1. Time to hit the phones...

Visit local Senate offices, and email your Senators. Lean on these cowards. Let's make some noise about 45s pick for the EPA. It's completely insane that a statenAG who is suing the EPA should be put in charge of the Agency he finds so contemptable.

[DK504]

6. This seems to me this is Donald's MO.

I can't figure out why Russia needs to destroy our environment so fast, it not like they won't suffer from the world to hell. To bad more Senators don't find their "courage."

[JudyM]

8. Yes! Switchboard #: 202/225-3131. Let's DU this! Whoever here has time to!

Last edited Thu Feb 16, 2017, 06:30 PM - Edit history (1)

I called. We have to work hard on this one, so important to do everything possible to keep him out.

[Blue Idaho]

11. Excellent! Thanks for the number...

[Grown2Hate]

2. Again, SUCH COURAGE from Collins when it's clear they'll be confirmed regardless!!!

I'd like to think this isn't necessary, but...

[cstanleytech]

3. I would second that opinion but you have enough sarcasm emotes for the both of us and then some. nt

[Honeycombe8]

4. I've always liked her.

She was one of the few Republicans to state before the election that "he is unfit for office." She did go out on a limb, that most other Republicans did not.

Even though the votes are there for this nominee, it still doesn't give her any brownie points among her colleagues. Imagine a Democrat who goes against the Party's nominee. It's not a very popular thing to do and does take some willingness to stand on principle and take the heat.

I give her kudos for speaking her mind, and voting that way. Maine is a beautiful state (per the pics I've seen), so maybe the environment is a big issue up there, but in Oklahoma? Well, I've been to Oklahoma, and I don't think the environment is important to the parts I saw.

[msongs]

5. yeah Manchin and COllins agree to swap votes to get the guy confirmed? nt

[murielm99]

7. Huh? Is she up for reelection?

Is she covering her ass?

She knows her vote will make no difference.

[herding cats]

10. The rumor is she's going to run for governor in 2018.

I'm not that up on Maine local politics, but that's what I was told is circulating there.

[MiniMe]

9. Which means McConnell has enough votes that he doesn't need hers.