Clean Water Restoration Act Moves Closer to Mark-Up – Your Help is Needed!
Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Chairman Barbara Boxer (CA) has stated her intent to move the Clean Water Restoration Act (S.787) to mark-up. Yesterday at an EPA budget briefing with Administrator Lisa Jackson, Chairman Boxer stated that muddied jurisdiction needs to be fixed now.
Though the mark-up has been delayed, we need to keep momentum going to develop the maximum support possible for a strong legislative fix that will permanately protect streams, lakes, wetlands and other waters now at risk in wake of the 2001 SWANCC and 2006 Rapanos Supreme Court decisions.
We must keep the pressure on to support EPW Chairman Boxer, Water subcommittee Chairman Benjamin Cardin (MD) and bill champion Senator Russ Feingold (WI), as well as other supporters of S.787 who want a committee vote as soon as possible. It could be as early as next Thursday, May 21st.
What You Can Do Today
- Call the offices of your U.S. Senators and ask them to support S.787. If they are already co-sponsors of S. 787, ask them to tell their colleagues to get on board to move the legislation forward! To find your U.S. Senators office phone numbers go towww.senate.gov and follow the prompts. You can also call the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected.
- Send letters to your Senators urging them to pass the Clean Water Restoration Act. Examples of letters sent by other CWN members can be found on our website.
- Submit a Letter to the Editor and/or urge your local paper to write an editorial in support of the Clean Water Restoration Act. Here are examples to help get you started.
To date, these 24 Senators have signed on as co-sponsors of S. 787 (introduced by Senator Feingold on April 2, 2009):
Sen. Boxer, Barbara (CA)
Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. (CT)
Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. (CT)
Sen. Carper, Thomas R. (DE)
Sen. Carper, Thomas R. (DE)
Sen. Kaufman, Edward E. (DE)
Sen. Durbin, Richard (IL)
Sen. Brown, Sherrod (OH)
Sen. Kerry, John F. (MA)
Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. (MD)
Sen. Levin, Carl (MI)
Sen. Stabenow, Debbie (MI)
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne (NH)
Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. (NJ)
Sen. Menendez, Robert (NJ)
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. (NY)
Sen. Schumer, Charles E. (NY)
Sen. Wyden, Ron (OR)
Sen. Merkley, Jeff (OR)
Sen. Reed, Jack (RI)
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon (RI)
Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. (VT)
Sen. Sanders, Bernard (VT)
Sen. Cantwell, Maria (WA)
Sen. Kohl, Herb (WI)
Sen. Durbin, Richard (IL)
Sen. Brown, Sherrod (OH)
Sen. Kerry, John F. (MA)
Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. (MD)
Sen. Levin, Carl (MI)
Sen. Stabenow, Debbie (MI)
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne (NH)
Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. (NJ)
Sen. Menendez, Robert (NJ)
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. (NY)
Sen. Schumer, Charles E. (NY)
Sen. Wyden, Ron (OR)
Sen. Merkley, Jeff (OR)
Sen. Reed, Jack (RI)
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon (RI)
Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. (VT)
Sen. Sanders, Bernard (VT)
Sen. Cantwell, Maria (WA)
Sen. Kohl, Herb (WI)
Note: names in bold serve on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
If you do not see one or both of your Senators on this list, they need to hear from you!
Thanks for all you do to protect our nation’s waters!
Natalie Roy
Executive Director
Clean Water Network