Senate panel clears EPA spending bill, blocking rules

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved an Interior Department and environment spending bill on Thursday, but Democrats have already vowed to block it on the floor. 

The bill would provide $32 billion to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Interior Department programs, about $1 billion less than President Obama requested in his budget and slightly below House Republicans’ target. 

{mosads}Democrats oppose the lower spending levels, but particularly the policy changes within the measure.

“These poison pill riders and some of these deep cuts to the environment mean I cannot support” the bill, ranking member Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), said.

The legislation blocks the EPA’s Clean Water Rule — previously called the “waters of the United States” rule  — and some mining and endangered species regulations.

The committee voted down a Democratic amendment to get rid of those riders, with Republican members saying the measures are necessary to stop Obama administration policies they oppose.

“This bill cuts areas of the EPA’s regulatory budget where the EPA has overstepped its boundaries,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said on Thursday.

“What constitutes a ‘poison pill rider’ is probably in the eyes of the beholder,” she added.

Democrats vowed to work on the measure with Republicans as the bill makes its way to the floor. But senior Democrats said the riders mean the bill likely won’t make it that far. 

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a member of his party’s leadership, said Democrats won’t put up the votes necessary to bring the legislation to the floor without changes.

“I believe you have reached a tipping point with these riders,” he said to Murkowski. “I believe it is quite likely this bill will never be considered on the floor.”