H.R.5538 – Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017

H.R.5538 Passed the US House by a floor vote on July 14, 2016.  H.R. 5538 is the Interior, Environment and other related agencies appropriations bill.  The final vote was 231-196.  Three democratic congressmen voted for this bill including Minnesota’s Colin Peterson.  All of Minnesota’s republican lawmakers voted for this bill including Erik Paulsen and Tom Emmer.

If this spending bill is passed into law, our nation’s environment will weaken further.  This bill blocks the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases, and it severely reduces funding to protect the environment.  According to the bill’s author, Rep. Calvert (R-CA), the EPA has had its funding reduced by $2.2 billion since 2011.

Link to roll call:  http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2016/roll477.xml

Republican Ayes – 228
Republican Noes – 15
Republicans Not Voting – 3

Democrat Ayes – 3
Democrat Noes – 181
Democrats Not Voting – 3

Minnesota Congress Members Votes

Tim Walz (D) 1st District – No
John Kline (R) 2nd District – Yes
Erik Paulsen (R) 3rd District – Yes
Betty McCollum (D) 4th District – No
Keith Ellison (D) 5th District – Not Voting
Tom Emmer (R) 6th District – Yes
Collin Peterson (D) 7th District – Yes
Rick Nolan (D) 8th District – No

WOLF AMENDMENTS

The wolf-related amendment votes were close, but lawmakers in the House voted to remove federal protections for the wolf nationally and to delist the Mexican gray wolf.  The Great Lakes and Wyoming wolves will be delisted if this bill is passed into law.

Rep. Newhouse (R-WA) #145 National Wolf Delisting Amendment

A no vote is a pro-wolf vote.  This amendment blocks all Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for the gray wolf in the United States by 2017.  

Passed 223-201.  21 Republicans opposed and 5 Democrats voted for this amendment.  Link to roll call:  http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2016/roll452.xml

Republican Ayes – 218
Republican Noes – 21
Republicans Not Voting – 7

Democrat Ayes – 5
Democrat Noes – 180
Democrats Not Voting – 2

Minnesota Congress Members Voted:

Tim Walz (D) 1st District – No
John Kline (R) 2nd District – Yes
Erik Paulsen (R) 3rd District – Not Voting
Betty McCollum (D) 4th District – No
Keith Ellison (D) 5th District – No
Tom Emmer (R) 6th District – Yes
Collin Peterson (D) 7th District – Yes
Rick Nolan (D) 8th District – No

Rep. Pearce (R-NM) Mexican Gray Wolf Delisting Amendment

A no vote is a pro-wolf vote.  This amendment will block federal funding for the endangered Mexican gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) even though there are fewer than 100 of these rare wolves left in the United States.

Passed 219-203.  26 Republicans opposed and 4 Democrats voted for this amendment.  Link to roll call: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2016/roll454.xml

Republican Ayes – 215
Republican Noes – 26
Republicans Not Voting – 5

Democrat Ayes – 4
Democrat Noes – 177
Democrats Not Voting – 6

Minnesota Congress Members Voted:

Tim Walz (D) 1st District – No
John Kline (R) 2nd District – Yes
Erik Paulsen (R) 3rd District – Yes
Betty McCollum (D) 4th District – No
Keith Ellison (D) 5th District – No
Tom Emmer (R) 6th District – Yes
Collin Peterson (D) 7th District – Yes
Rick Nolan (D) 8th District – No

Rep. Beyer (D-VA) #71

A yes vote is a pro-wolf vote.  This amendment would have effectively stricken three damaging riders that block recovery efforts and Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for (1) gray wolf populations in Wyoming and the Great Lakes (Section 119), (2) the greater sage-grouse (Section 114), and (3) the lesser prairie-chicken (Section 445).  The Wyoming/Midwest wolf delisting rider (Section 119) block federal court decisions that restored federal protections in Wyoming and the Great Lakes region to the gray wolf.  Most importantly, the amendment includes a “no judicial review” clause, thus stripping the ability of citizens to challenge these wolf delistings.  

Failed 193-235.  13 Republicans supported this amendment and 5 Democrats voted no.  Link to roll call:  http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2016/roll463.xml

Republican Ayes – 13
Republican Noes – 230
Republicans Not Voting – 3

Democrat Ayes – 180
Democrat Noes – 5
Democrats Not Voting – 2

Minnesota Congress Member Votes

Tim Walz (D) 1st District – Yes
John Kline (R) 2nd District – No
Erik Paulsen (R) 3rd District – No
Betty McCollum (D) 4th District – Yes
Keith Ellison (D) 5th District – Yes
Tom Emmer (R) 6th District – No
Collin Peterson (D) 7th District – No
Rick Nolan (D) 8th District – Yes

Stay Tuned

The next steps are for the US Senate to take up their version of the Interior Appropriations bill, and then for a conference committee to convene to create a final version for the President to sign.  If the final version of the interior appropriations bill contains all of these anti-wolf provisions, then we will be working to get enough senators to vote so that the President can veto that bill.  If 60 or more senators vote for a bill, it cannot be vetoed.

The Great Lakes and Wyoming wolf delisting bill/amendments do not state the words wolf, delist, or endangered species.  The language is disguised as a “reissue” rule and contains a “no judicial review.”  The language makes it difficult to know a lawmaker voted to delist the wolf.  This language could be attached to a must-pass bill such as an omnibus spending bill or even a continued resolution (CR).  We will be monitoring for more congressional threats to the existence of the Great Lakes wolf.  The language is as follows:

Reissuance of Final Rules

Sec. 119. Before the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall reissue the final rule published on December 28, 2011 (76 Fed. Reg. 81666 et seq.) and the final rule published on September 10, 2012 (77 Fed. Reg. 55530 et seq.), without regard to any other provision of statute or regulation that applies to issuance of such rules. Such reissuances (including this section) shall not be subject to judicial review.