THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 1, 1995 TAG: 9508010267
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
In a stunning reversal of an equally surprising vote three days earlier, a deadlocked House voted Monday night to restrict federal enforcement of a host of environmental laws.
By a 210-210 tie, lawmakers defeated an amendment they had adopted last Friday erasing a Republican provision to block the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing 17 anti-pollution laws and regulations. Amendments are defeated unless they have a majority of the vote.
On Friday, the House voted 212-206 to remove the restrictions on the EPA from an underlying spending bill.
That vote was seen as a setback to the GOP's anti-regulatory and environmental agenda. The Republican leadership, eager to reverse that defeat and satisfy the large number of conservatives in the party, spent all weekend seeking ways to win fresh support and turn Friday's vote around.
The reversal gave GOP leaders a fresh worry, however - that the underlying bill to which the language was attached would be defeated on final passage.
As a result of Monday's reversal, the legislation once again would restrict the EPA's enforcement of laws regulating drinking water, lakes and streams, automobile emissions, sewage, wetlands and pesticides in foods. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
HOW THEY VOTED
A "yes" vote is a vote to continue enforcement of environmental
laws.
Herbert Bateman, R. - No
Owen B. Pickett, D. - No
Robert C. Scott, D. - Yes
Norman Sisisky, D. - No
by CNB