EPA employees rally against Scott Pruitts policies on eve of congressional testimony

EPA employees rally against Scott Pruitt’s policies on eve of congressional testimony
Lawmakers, environmental groups show solidarity with workers.
Mark Hand
Apr 25, 2018, 4:09 pm


As Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt prepares to testify on Capitol Hill, agency employees rallied outside EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to express their opposition to how their leader has put the interests of industry over those of the American people.

Approximately 100 EPA employees attended the rally. Most of them — aside from their union representatives — were hesitant to voice their opinions out of fear of retribution. Lawmakers and environmental leaders also spoke at the rally and were more blunt in their declarations, with each calling for Pruitt to resign or for President Trump to fire him.

On Thursday, Pruitt is scheduled to appear before the House Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee in the morning and then before the House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee in the afternoon to discuss the EPA’s budget.

But the primary topic of discussion at the hearings is expected to be all the scandals surrounding Pruitt. A group of 131 representatives and 39 senators signed a resolution that was introduced last week calling for him to resign.

Under Pruitt’s leadership, working at the EPA “has been tougher than ever,” according to Nate James, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3331.

“Our mission is to protect the environment and human life. That is the sole purpose of our existence here. That is what your tax dollars pay for,” James said in a speech at the rally, which was held in a plaza between the EPA headquarters and the Trump International Hotel. “But right now, it seems that our administrator is more focused on what we can do to make life a lot easier for corporations than the American public. I have to speak out against that.”

more...

https://thinkprogress.org/epa-employees-rally-against-scott-pruitt-9e237b10b7d2/