Stop EPA's Student "Environmental Justice" Agenda

Press Release

In early August, a news report appeared on the heels of the U.S. House of Representatives' decision to end its 200-year-old Page Program. While many news outlets reported on that development, this particular story simultaneously highlighted news of the expansion of a different youth intern program. The same day the U.S. House announced the end of its Page Program, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced quietly--only through its Environmental Justice listserv--the expansion of and application guidelines for what it calls the "Environmental Justice Eco-Ambassador Program." The requirements outlined the EPA's stated desire to recruit and hire, at taxpayer expense, only those college students who are ideologically in line with the Obama Administration's radical environmental policies.

In direct response to this disturbing revelation, Freshman Congressman Mike Pompeo (KS-04), a Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, today introduced a bill (H.R. 2876) which prohibits EPA from establishing any paid internships or other student recruitment programs that discriminate based on ideology or policy viewpoint. The legislation eliminates funding for the "Environmental Justice Eco-Ambassador Program," and it prevents EPA from establishing any similar programs in the future, thus protecting taxpayers from such wasteful spending. The EPA would also be required, under this legislation, to submit a report to Congress detailing its past student recruitment efforts.

Congressman Pompeo issued the following statement to announce the bill today:

"At a time when millions of Americans cannot find work and are saddled with record deficits and crippling environmental regulations, spending $6,000 of taxpayer money per student to act as tools of this Administration's radical policies is clearly not acceptable--nor is it ever the role of the federal government to indoctrinate.

"Today, I was proud to introduce legislation prohibiting EPA from establishing any paid internships or other student recruitment programs that discriminate based on ideology or policy viewpoint. The "Environmental Justice Eco-Ambassador Program' is a prime example of the wasteful and inappropriate spending that continues to infest all corners of the Obama Administration. I intend to put an end to this abuse of taxpayer money and I look forward to obtaining broad support, not only from other Members of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, but from many more of my colleagues in the House and Senate," stated Pompeo.

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