As most people know by now, Gina McCarthy would be fabulous as head of the EPA. It's been months since President Obama nominated her to run the agency yet she's unfortunately hit numerous, and pointless, brick walls in the Senate on her road to confirmation. In May, congressional conservatives boycotted her vote in committee in order to impress, um, er, um...the Tea Party?? Cooler heads prevailed and she won committee endorsement.
Since then, Gina has been awaiting a full vote in the Senate. Why the wait? Conservatives again have been making mischief, threatening to filibuster the vote. Nobody doubts that McCarthy is qualified. Even that climate denier extraordinaire Sen. Jim Inhofe (Republican from Oklahoma) said in March that he expected to be friends with McCarthy as head of EPA.
But hold the presses! We just learned that Senator David Vitter (Republican from Louisiana) has announced there will be no filibuster on Gina. Glory Hallelujah!
Why this change of heart? Are certain members of Congress realizing that the Tea Party is becoming increasingly irrelevant in American politics? Have those members of Congress decided to study the actual science of climate change and, thus, now realize how incredibly serious the situation is?
Or perhaps it was Sen. Majority leader Harry Reid's talk of imposing the "nuclear option" and ending filibusters on Presidential nominees that made them see sense.
Whatever the reason, we'll take it. The word is that Gina's floor vote in the Senate could come as early as the week of July 15. We hope beyond words that she gets confirmed.
Can't wait to see Gina get to work as EPA administrator. We need her. Now.
PennFuture's A Climate for Change header/graphic
Showing posts with label EPA administrator. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EPA administrator. Show all posts
