Rep. Mike Levin on House Bill: It Raises Costs for Families

Opposition to the Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill

• ⚠️ Rep. Mike Levin states he cannot support the bill as written, citing concerns that it will increase costs for families.
• 🎯 The primary job of representatives is to make life more affordable and secure for constituents, a goal he believes this bill fails to meet.

Impact on Water Programs and Rates

• 💧 The bill cuts over $660 million from clean water and drinking water programs, essential for replacing lead pipes and modernizing systems.
• 📈 When this funding is cut, local governments are forced to raise water rates, disproportionately impacting families, small businesses, and rural communities.

Fuel Efficiency and EPA Funding

• ⛽ The bill blocks common-sense fuel efficiency standards, which Levin argues does not lower gas prices but rather increases spending at the pump.
• 📉 A cut of over 20% to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is criticized for shrinking the ability to respond to critical issues like contamination, hazardous waste, and pollution.

Clean Energy and Economic Competitiveness

• ⚡ Levin highlights that wind and solar are the cheapest forms of new electricity but the bill underfunds offices that permit these projects, limiting consumer choice.
• 🌎 He warns that failing to invest in clean energy will allow countries like China to outpace the U.S. in manufacturing and deployment, undermining economic leadership and energy independence.

Public Lands and Infrastructure

• 🏞️ Further funding cuts to the National Park Service are expected to lead to closed campgrounds, shut restrooms, and fewer rangers, negatively affecting families, veterans, and local economies reliant on tourism.
• ✅ Levin asserts that the bill does not reflect shared values of affordability, fairness, competition, and responsible stewardship, and calls for bipartisan cooperation to reduce costs and modernize infrastructure.