MEMO: LOOK WHO’S TALKING, SEN. GRASSLEY
Date: June 16, 2010
To: Interested Parties
From: Americans United for Change
Subject: Response to Sen. Grassley’s June 15 Memo Claiming TV Ad fromAmericans United is “False and Misleading”
In response to a new television ad campaign [CLICK HERE TO VIEW] by Americans United for Change, Senator Chuck Grassley issued a memo to the Iowa media claiming that the ads are “false and misleading.” But, strangely, Mr. Grassley does not actually dispute any of the specifics in the ad. Perhaps that is because the ads are more truthful than Mr. Grassley would like to admit.
At issue is Senator Grassley’s vote last week for a resolution put forward by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski from the big oil state of Alaska that would have barredthe Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing greenhouse gas emission rules under the Clean Air Act. Our ad describes the resolution as the ‘Murkowski Big Oil Bailout.’ Senator Grassley asserts that it had nothing to do with “oil pollution.” So, who’s telling the truth?
Well, let’s review the facts.
Make no mistake: if passed, the Murkowski resolution would have given a big handout to Big Oil. As Lisa Jackson, administrator of the EPA recently warned, the resolution would not only have “take[n]away EPA's ability to protect the health and welfare of Americans from greenhouse gas pollution,” but “would ignore and override scientific findings and allow big oil companies, big refineries and others to continue to pollute without any oversight or consequence.”
FACT: America's oil dependence would have increased by billions of barrels under the Murkowski resolution
The Murkowski resolution would have over-turned the historic car standards agreement that was put in place by President Obama, with support from the auto industry, labor, and conservation groups, in April 2010. These standards will save America about 455 million barrels of oil. That’s about $47 billion dollars that will stay in Americans’ wallets, not handed over to Big Oil companies or OPEC countries. This would save new car owners approximately $3,000 over the life of their vehicles. And Senator Grassley voted to roll all these savings back. [Sources: EPA: http://huff.to/9kLVTk; Reid: http://bit.ly/cvyjKq; NRDC: http://bit.ly/9kAmTf]
For too long, Senate Republicans have been in the pocket of Big Oil, and Senator Grassley is no exception. Over his career, he has received $213,000 in contributions from the oil and gas industry. In 2010, he already received more than $60,000 — that puts him at #15 in the Senate for Big Oil contributions. [Source: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=Career&cid=N00001758&type=I and http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?ind=e01&cycle=2010&recipdetail=S&mem=Y&sortorder=U]
Mr. Grassley accuses the EPA of a “go it alone policy,” when in fact the EPA was empowered to act based on a Supreme Court ruling that found greenhouse gases are a danger to human health.
The Supreme Court’s decision is based on science supported by the country’s leading scientists and public health experts. That’s why a group of nearly more than 1,800 scientists sent a letter [link: http://www.usclimatenetwork.org/resource-database/letter-from-1-806-scientists-to-congress-against-senator-murkowksis-ammendment] urging Congress to protect the Clean Air Act. It’s also why health groups such as the American Lung Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, and the American Nurses Association all called for a rejection of the Murkowski resolution.
Moreover,a coalition of oil, gas and other trade groups, led by the American Petroleum Institute, sent a letter to the Senate calling for them to support the Murkowski resolution. Similarly, a group of 68 oil and petrochemical companies also sent a letter to the Senate in favor of the resolution [And here’s the link: http://www.api.org/Newsroom/upload/climate_industry_letter.pdf]
Big Oil enthusiastically supported the resolution, because no limits on their air pollution meansthe sky’s the limit on their profits and recklessness. So, whose side is Senator Grassley really on: Big Oil or the American people? The Polluters – or the Polluted?
There is one area, however, that Americans United and Mr. Grassley agree: It would be preferable for Congress to lead on action to address greenhouse gas emissions. [He said: “These decisions should be made by Congress.”]
That’s why we say now is the time for Senator Grassley to put his words into action and stand up to Big Oil and other special interests in Washington. Senator Grassley and the rest of the Senate need to enact comprehensive energy and climate legislation that will cut our dependence on oil, create jobs, enhance our national security, and put America in control of its energy future.
Iowais at the forefront of the clean energy economy. We have to ask: why would Iowa’s senior Senator continue to stand in the way of its growth?