Whitehouse Statement on Democrats’ Parliamentary Challenges to Republicans’ “Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill”

Washington, D.C.— Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), issued the following statement after EPW Democrats challenged parts of Republicans’ reconciliation bill with the Senate Parliamentarian:

“While Republicans are jamming their Big Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill full of giveaways to their polluting megadonors, we’re fighting to protect clean air, clean water, and our country from a climate change-caused economic meltdown.  The Senate Parliamentarian sustained my challenges to Republicans using the fast-track budget reconciliation process: to repeal an EPA rule limiting automobile pollution, to create a pay-to-play exemption from judicial review for projects, and to repeal entire sections of the Clean Air Act.   Republicans keep trying to help polluters sell out the American people, raise energy costs, and roll back public health protections —all to help their fossil fuel donors sell more gas— so we will keep fighting.”