Scalise's Bill Will Weaken EPA's Ability To Regulate Air Quality Standards

Steve Scalise, Louisiana's little boy rep in the U.S. House saw that house pass his bill that would expidite the permitting process for new projects according to an article in the Times Picayune of 11/21/14.  Democratic rep Henry Waxman said the bill could give new facilities "amnesty" from new air quality standards.  The President said he would veto the bill if it reached his desk.

The bill is all about gutting EPA regulations and allowing busineses to operate in their own selfish world without regulations.  Scalise uses job creation as the excuse for expediting the permitting process.  However,  Scalise and his party have no record of creating jobs to speak of and everyone knows the conservative attitude towaerd regulations.  As long as the democrats control the Senate the bill will not pass or advance to the President.

Scalise is the Whip of the majority House and is in a leadership position so one would think he would take up the immigration bill passed by the Senate or the minimum wage bill if he was serious about passing legislation that would move the country and its people forward.  Instead, he moves a bill that has no merit at this particular time.  The President continues to stand tall and be responsible while conservative republicans in congress continue to expose their lack of character and courage.  

Just think, if Scalise scheduled a vote on immigration and the minimum wage and it passed as this writer thinks it would, congress could have gone home on break and said they accomplished something positive.  What a shame.

This commentary written by John Lucia

Another Major Grant To Louisiana From The BP/Transocean's Deepwater Horizon Rig Sinking

Accoridng to a Times Picayune article dated 11/19/14 Louisiana will receive $13.2 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to rebuild barrier islands and to build sediment diversions for wetlands.  The money comes from a second dispersal from the Foundations Gulf Environmental Fund that holds the money from criminal settlements between the U.S. Department of Justice, BP and Transocean over their roles concerning the sinking of the rig.

And once again it is the big bad federal government that Jindal and his conservative ditto heads love to hate that has enforced federal regulations and have held BP/Transocean accountable for their negligent acts. And it has all happened under the Obama administration, the President who conservatives say is the enemy of the people of Louisiana and the state.  The real enemy of the people and Louisiana are Jindal and those elected officials who oppose the Levee Boards suit against the oil and gas industry for their destruction to Louisiana's environment by their operations.  The industry has been given a free ride for over 40 plus years.

The $13.2 million settlement is only a portion of the $1.2 billion that will be directed to the fund over a five year period for projects in Louisiana involving restoration of barrier islands and the construction of diversions.  The President's administration is working for Louisiana and the Gulf Coast and have answered the call to a disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.  jindal and the republican party in Louisiana continue to demonize the President and the federal government and shows how much character and courage the little boys lack.  Serious public officials?  You want find them in Louisiana's government.


This commentary written by John Lucia.