Walden and Upton: Democrats Are Putting Politics Over Safety of Americans

Statement

Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) and Energy Subcommittee Republican Leader Fred Upton (R-MI) released the following statement slamming Democrats for putting politics over pipeline safety.

"Democrats are putting politics over the safety of Americans. It's that simple. This partisan bill upends months of negotiations, is loaded with unworkable policy, and has zero chance of passing the Senate or becoming law. By releasing brand new legislative text just days before rushing forward with this bad bill, Democrats have shown a flagrant disregard for regular order and a longstanding, bipartisan history on pipeline safety. It doesn't have to be this way; we've passed bipartisan pipeline safety reauthorizations into law under divided government before. We have offered a bipartisan compromise that could become law, and will continue to urge Democrats to stop these partisan games and work with us in good faith so we can show that is still possible," said Walden and Upton

Background

Republicans have repeatedly called for a bipartisan reauthorization of the nation's pipeline safety laws.

Energy Subcommittee Republican Leader Upton has introduced a compromise bill that could actually earn bipartisan support in the House and Senate and be signed into law by President Trump. Democrats rejected that offer.

Both the Trump Administration and Senate negotiators have indicated they do not support provisions included in the partisan bill advanced through the Energy and Commerce Committee today.

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