Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) erupted in hostility toward Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin on Monday over climate change.
Zeldin was appearing before the House Appropriations subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies as part of President Donald Trump’s budget request, which aims to cut the agency’s budget in half. The testimony took a hostile turn when DeLauro brought up climate change, prompting Zeldin to cite the Clean Air Act and the Supreme Court case Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo.
“When Climate Change is flooding our streets, poisoning our air, driving up health care, how can the EPA justify abandoning that duty to protect Americans to appease polluters under the false flag of economics growth?” said DeLauro.
“Following the law, Section 202 of the Clean Air Act, where does it say anything about fighting Global Climate Change? Loper Bright. Supreme Court Case. Are you familiar with it?” responded Zeldin.
“Maybe others are, but I’m not.” DeLauro replied.
“But that’s really important. Loper Bright says that we as an agency don’t have the authority to get creative with Section 202 of the Clean Air Act,” Zeldin shot back.
DeLauro became increasingly aggressive, accusing Zeldin of being a “climate denier” who seeks to defund science.
“Excuse me. You do not have the right to say Climate Change does not exist. That is a hoax, and that’s where this administration, where this is coming from,” she said.
“I understand that you’re upset. You don’t know what Loper Bright is … You’re a member of Congress. You should know,” he responded.
The EPA chief later shared the testy exchange on social media, wherein he said that “nothing infuriates an uninformed Congressional Dem more than when they realize they voluntarily triggered a debate with someone who actually knows what they are talking about, reads federal statute and adheres to Supreme Court precedent.”
“Today’s self-implosion by [DeLauro] was quite remarkable to witness,” he added. “Without apology or regret, I will always adhere to the best available reading of federal statute pursuant to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright.”
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