Rep. Gerry Connolly Proposes Officially Changing Title Of Anti-EPA Bill To ‘Koch Brothers Appreciation Act’

Paul Breer

Weeks ago, Koch-funded climate change denying Republicans on the House Energy Committeevoted unanimously in favor of the Upton-Inhofe billto eliminate the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The Republican-controlled House is expected to pass the bill later this week and Rep. Gerry Connollly (D-VA) wants to call a spade a spade and officially change the name of the bill to a more appropriate title:

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) wants to change the title of a bill that would permanently block Environmental Protection Agency climate regulations to the “Koch Brothers Appreciation Act,” a reference to the billionaire brothers who are active in Republican politics.

Connolly has submitted to the House Rules Committee a series of amendments that would change the title of the bill to everything from the “Middle Eastern Economic Development and Assistance Act” to the “Head in the Sand Act.”

Others include the … “Oil Producing Economy Capitulation Act.”

The Upton-Inhofe bill is not expected to pass the Senate. But If approved, the bill would would overturn a 2007 Supreme Court decision which ruled that the EPA has the right to regulate car tailpipe emissions under the Clean Air Act. This legislation has been a top priority for the Kochs and their network of the conservative think tank and astroturf groups.

For more on the Kochs, see the Center for American Progress Action Fund’s new report on “What You Need to Know About the Financiers of the Radical Right.”

UPDATESen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), in response to the proposed alternative name amendments, told Connolly and House Democrats this afternoon to “Get a life.”