March 09, 2018
By Anthony Adragna and Lauren Garner –
Congressional Republicans are publicly acknowledging what many Democrats have been grumbling about for months — it’s really hard to get EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt into a witness seat.
House and Senate transportation committees have asked Pruitt to testify about the administration’s infrastructure plan, but both were rebuffed, according to sources familiar with the moves. And Pruitt is the only one of President Donald Trump’s key three energy officials not currently scheduled to discuss his agency’s fiscal 2019 budget request next week. Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke have already announced trips to Capitol Hill.
Other members of Trump’s Cabinet have proven more willing to answer lawmakers’ questions on the administration’s goals and priorities. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has appeared at two hearings in the last eight days to discuss the administration’s infrastructure plan with lawmakers. She’ll return Wednesday to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on the proposal, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross will join her.
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is “to protect human health and the environment.” Disgraced EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt tried his best to undermine this vital mission by choosing to slash critical health protections and let corporate polluters off the hook. Now that Pruitt’s been booted, we need an EPA administrator dedicated to undoing his toxic agenda and restoring the agency to its core mission. Progress is possible and necessary – but another corporate crony or climate skeptic will not get us there.
Scott Pruitt is gone, but the fight is just beginning. We need an EPA administrator who puts our health and environment first, period. Any alternative is unacceptable.
