Dirty Jon Kyl: at war against earth & public health

WASHINGTON -- Dirty Jon Kyl has a terrible record on protecting public health and the environment. Read below for the deadly details.

America and Arizona can't live with Dirty Jon Kyl.

Toxic Waste Pollution -- Jon Kyl has voted 6 times to shift the burden of paying for toxic cleanups to taxpayers. Under the Superfund tax industries where required to pay a special tax to clean up toxic waste sights. Jon Kyl voted against renewing the Superfund tax and now taxpayers are forced to take on this burden. [H. Con. Res. 83, 4/3/2001, Vote # 77, Vote #469 9/27/95, HR 2620, 11/8/01, #334, S. Amdt. 408, 3/25/03 Vote #97, HR 6, 11/21/03, Vote #456, Senate Finance Committee Markup of S.597, 04/02/03]

In 2004, Jon Kyl even voted against requiring the Department of Energy to clean up millions of gallons of highly radioactive waste in corroding tanks. [S. 2400, 6/3/04, Vote #107]

In 2003, Jon Kyl once again went to bat for big industry when he voted to shield producers of contaminant MTBE from defective lawsuits, including some lawsuits already in the courts. [HR 6, 11/21/03, Vote #456]

Clean Water -- Kyl was the deciding vote to put tax cuts ahead of higher arsenic standards. Kyl was the deciding votes to kill an amendment to enable water systems to comply with higher arsenic standards recommended by the National Academy of Sciences and already adopted by the World Health Organization and European Union. [Vote #148, 5/22/2001]

Kyl Voted for a New Standard for Arsenic Levels in Drinking Water. In 2001, Kyl voted for an amendment that would require the EPA to immediately adopt a new standard for arsenic in drinking water consistent with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The substitute would provide $84.1 billion for the departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and related agencies. [HR 2620, 8/1/01, #265] (Passed 97-1)

Kyl Voted Against Controlling Microbes And Contaminants In Drinking Water. Jon Kyl voted against safeguards to control health risks from microbes in drinking water, and he voted against letting communities know about contaminants in their drinking water [Vote #587, Motion to Table Agreed To 59-40, 104th Congress, 1st Session, 11/29/95]

Kyl voted 3 times against funding for water programs, including $5 billion on rural water and sewer programs that would directly help rural communities in Arizona. [Vote #211, 5/25/95 Vote #155 5/23/96, HR 2861, 11/12/03, #449]

Kyl Opposed EPA Moving Swiftly to Clean Up River and Ocean Sites Containing Hazardous Pollutants. Jon Kyl voted to table an amendment to the VA-HUD FY ‘01 Appropriations by Sen. Boxer that would have expressed the sense of Congress "that the Environmental Protection Agency should move swiftly to clean up river and ocean sites around the nation that have been contaminated with PCBs, DDT, dioxins, metals, and other toxic chemicals in order to protect the public health, safety, and the environment." [Vote #271, Motion to Table Agreed To 56-39, 106th Congress, 2nd Session, 10/12/00]

Global Warming Pollution -- Jon Kyl voted 4 times in two years against reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2005, he even voted against a McCain amendment to limit greenhouse gas emissions. [Vote #420, 10/30/03 HR6, Vote #148, 6/22/05, HR6, Vote #149, 6/22/05, HR 6, Vote #151, 6/22/05]

Jon Kyl puts polluters above the health of American citizens by voting 3 times to allow polluters to indefinitely postpone the EPA rules that would enforce the Clean Air Act. [Vote #309, 7/17/95; Vote #311, 7/18/95; Vote #315, 7/20/95]

Not surprisingly, Jon Kyl voted in support of the Bush administrations rule that would allow aging, polluting factories to expand their facilities without upgrading their pollution control. [HJR2 1/22/2003 Vote #12]

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- Kyl has voted ten times to open up ANWR to drilling by the big oil companies. [Vote #525, 10/27/95; Vote #556, 10/27/95; Vote #584, 11/17/95; Vote #58, 4/6/00; Vote #71, 4/18/2002; Vote #59, 3/19/2003; Vote #52, 3/16/05; Vote #81 3/17/05; Vote #303, 11/3/05, Vote #114, 4/28/05]

Oil Exports from Alaska -- Jon Kyl put foreign oil needs above Americas’ when he voted to repeal prohibitions on the export of Alaskan Northern Slope Oil. This vote would allow any oil that is potentially found in ANWR to be export to other countries, not requiring oil companies to keep the oil in the United States. [Vote #170 5/16/95; Vote #574 11/14/95]

Pesticides and Human Study -- Kyl Voted to Allow Pesticide Testing on Humans, After a Study. In 2005, Kyl voted for an amendment that would direct the EPA administrator to conduct a review of all third-party intentional human dosing studies. It also would direct the administrator to issue a final rule within 180 days of enactment that addresses the application of ethical standards to third-party studies involving intentional human dosing to identify or quantify toxic effects. [HR 2361, #161, 6/29/05] (Passed 57-39)

In 2000, Jon Kyl voted to allow toxic pesticides to be used in our National Parks and National Monuments, where children may be present. [HR 4578, Vote #210, 7/18/00]

Endangered Species Act -- Kyl Supported Efforts to Gut the Endangered Species Act. Jon Kyl supported a measure offered by Sen. Hutchison that would have rescinded $1.5 million from the amounts available in FY ‘95 for determining whether a species is a threatened or endangered species and whether habitat is critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act. [Vote #107, Decision of Chair Not Sustained 42-57, 104th Congress, 1st Session, 3/16/95]

Kyl Voted Against Protecting Endangered Species. In 2003, Kyl voted against an amendment that would bar the Interior secretary from designating as critical habitat Defense Department-owned lands subject to a Pentagon management plan, but only if the Interior secretary certifies that the management plan would effectively conserve endangered species and would receive adequate funding. [S 1050, 5/21/03, #190] (Passed 51-48)

Clean Air -- Kyl Voted Against Protecting the Clean Air Act. Jon Kyl voted three times to move forward towards passage the Republican regulatory “reform” bill that would have allowed polluters to indefinitely postpone the EPA rules that would enforce the Clean Air Act. [Vote #309, 7/17/95; Vote #311, 7/18/95; Vote #315, 7/20/95]

Kyl Voted Against Stronger Clean Air Standards. In essence, this was a vote to support the Bush administration rules that would allow aging factories, mills and refineries, which significantly contribute to air pollution, to expand or modernize their facilities without upgrading their pollution controls. The NAS study would have provided a 6 month public health and environment analysis before the rules went into effect. [HJR2 1/22/2003 Vote #12]

At The Time, According To Natural Resources Defense Council, These Rules “Represent The Most Dramatic Rollback Of Our Clean Air Laws Since Congress Enacted Them More Than 30 Years Ago.” On December 31, 2002, the Bush administration announced its intention to revise the “New Source Review,” procedures under the Clean Air Act. In effect, the new rules will allow the owners of the nation’s oldest and most polluting power plants to increase air pollution and subject them to lesser scrutiny. The Natural Resources Defense Council has stated that “the proposed rule changes represent the most dramatic rollback of our clean air laws since Congress enacted them more than 30 years ago.” [NRDC]

Kyl Voted Against Monitoring Air Toxins Following Large Fires. In 2003, Kyl voted against an amendment that would authorize a program for the EPA to monitor additional air toxins following a fire that is declared a federal disaster. Monitoring would end when the EPA has determined the danger has subsided. [HR 1904, 10/29/03, #418] (Passed 78-17)

Kyl voted against a joint resolution “that would provide for congressional disapproval of a rule from the EPA which removed coal and oil-fired electric generating units from the list of major sources of hazardous air pollutants as defined by the Clean Air Act.” [SJR 20, Vote #225, 9/13/05]

Environmental Programs -- Kyl Supported Efforts to Slash Funding to Enforce Environmental Laws. Jon Kyl voted in favor of a GOP funding bill that slashed funding for the EPA to enforce environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act. [Vote #470, 9/27/95]

Kyl Opposed Increasing Funding for Environmental Programs By $7.3 Billion. Jon Kyl voted to table an amendment to the Concurrent Budget Resolution for FY’s 1997-2002 by Sen. Kerry that would have increased spending on the EPA, the National Park Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by a total of $7.3 billion over 6 years by increasing tax collections. [Vote #125, Motion to Table Agreed To 55-45, 104th Congress, 2nd Session, 5/22/96]

Kyl Voted Against Providing Funding For The Protection Of Our Environment. Kyl voted against a Corzine amendment to increase spending on environmental and conservation programs by $1.1 billion in fiscal 2004 and $12.4 billion over 10 years. The spending would be offset by a reduction in tax cuts. [SCR23 3/25/2003 Vote #96]

Kyl Voted Against $2.9 Billion for Pollution Control, Forest and Parks Services, Conservation Programs and Army Corps of Engineers. The amendment would increase funding the Corps of Engineers, the Federal Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund, the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, federal conservation programs and other natural resource programs by $2.9 billion, to be offset by closing corporate tax loopholes. [Vote #60, 3/16/06]

Feedlots/Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations -- Kyl Opposed Limits on Confined Livestock Feeding Operations Receiving Federal Funds. Jon Kyl voted against an amendment to the Freedom to Farm Bill of 1996 that set limits on the size of confined livestock feeding operations eligible to receive cost-sharing benefits under the Environmental Quality Incentive Program for the construction of animal management facilities. These facilities are devastating to the environment: ground, air, and water.[Vote #15, Amendment Agreed To 57-39, 104th Congress, 2nd Session, 2/7/96]

National Monuments -- Kyl Voted to Allow Drilling in National Monuments. 38 Republicans, including Kyl voted to support drilling in National Monuments. Senate Democrats, led by Senator Durbin (D-IL), offered an amendment to prohibit the use of federal funds to pay for exploration or drilling within lands designated as National Monuments. Senator Burns (R-MT) tried to kill the amendment by tabling it. [Vote #229, 7/11/2001]

Kyl Voted Against Protecting our National Monuments. In 1997, Kyl voted for a bill that would curb the President’s ability to set aside land for national monuments. The bill required any national monument designation over 50,000 acres to be ratified by Congress. The bill was put forth by Republicans who were angry at President Clinton’s decision to designate 1.7 million acres in southern Utah as a national monument. The bill passed 229 to 197. [HR 1127, Vote #495, 10/7/97; New York Times 10/8/97]

Kyl Supported a Measure Prohibiting Funds to Be Used to Establish or Expand a National Monument Under the Antiquities Act Without the Consent of Congress. Jon Kyl voted for an amendment to the FY ‘01 Interior Appropriations by Sen. Nickles that prohibited the use of funds from the appropriations bill to be used to establish or expand a national monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906 unless expressly authorized by an Act of Congress. [Vote #208, Amendment Rejected 49-50, 106th Congress, 2nd Session, 7/18/00]

Construction Projects -- Kyl Opposed $2 Billion for Tax-Exempt Environmentally Friendly Construction Projects. Kyl, on May 5, 2004, voted against the Allard amendment to S.1637, which was an amendment to authorize $2 billion for “tax-exempt bonds for environmentally friendly construction projects.” [S 1637, 5/5/04, #84; National Journal’s Congress Daily, 05/06/04] (Passed 76-23)

Renewable Fuels -- Kyl Voted to Delay The Renewable Fuel Mandate. In 2002, Kyl voted for an effort to delay the renewable fuel mandate, which would require an increasing amount of renewable fuel, including ethanol and biodiesel, to be blended into motor vehicle fuel sold in the United States. The renewable fuel mandate would result in a tripling of ethanol production to 5 billion gallons a year by 2012, a boon to farmers. [S 517, 4/25/02, #88; Associated Press, 4/26/02] (Motion to Kill Passed 60-39)

Kyl Supported Tax Breaks for Big Oil and Gas Companies. Jon Kyl opposed a measure that would have struck sections of the Balanced Budget Reconciliation Act of 1995 that would have given “royalty relief” on new oil or gas wells drilled on new or existing leases in Gulf of Mexico. “Royalty relief” is a tax break for the oil and gas companies. [Vote #553, Motion Rejected 29-70, 104th Congress, 1st Session, 10/27/95]

Kyl Rejected Tax Credits for Renewable Energy Technologies. Jon Kyl voted against an amendment to establish tax credits for investments in renewable energy technologies, incentives for new energy efficient residential construction and tax deductions for increased energy efficiency in commercial buildings. [Vote #125, Motion Rejected 43-56, 107th Congress, 1st Session, 5/21/01Vote #125, May 21, 2001]

Kyl Voted To Delay Congressional Action On Fuel Efficiency Requirements For Automobiles Known As CAFE Standards. Jon Kyl voted against an amendment to raise fuel efficiency standards. The CAFÉ standards were part of a larger substitute amendment to overhaul the nation’s energy policies, restructure the electricity system and provide for a total of $16.04 billion in energy-related tax incentives. [S517 3/13/2002 Vote #47]

Kyl Proposed an Amendment to Suspend Federal Renewable Energy Standards For Certain States. In 2002, Kyl voted to suspend the application of the proposed Federal 10-percent renewable portfolio standard in a State if the Governor of that State notified the Secretary of Energy that its application would be harmful to consumers in the State. The amendment was rejected, 37-58. [S 517, 3/21/02, #59]

Kyl Opposed Renewable Fuel Mandates. In 2002, Kyl voted to strike the vehicle renewable fuel mandates from the Daschle further modified substitute amendment to the National Laboratories Partnership Improvement Act of 2001. The motion to table was agreed to, 69-30. [S 517, 4/23/02, #78]

Kyl Voted Against Requiring Reduction in the Amount Of Oil Used By Cars. In 2002, Kyl voted against requiring the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations for passenger and non-passenger automobiles manufactured after model year 2006 that were designed to reduce the amount of oil (including oil refined into gasoline) used by automobiles by at least 1 million barrels per day by 2015. The motion to table was agreed to, 57-42. [S 517, 4/25/02, #90]

Kyl Was One of Eight Senators Who Opposed Alternative Fuel Motor Vehicle Tax Credit. Kyl voted against killing an amendment that would strike the new qualified alternative fuel motor vehicle tax credit, the new hybrid motor vehicle tax credit, the new qualified fuel cell motor vehicle tax credit, and the extension of the present law tax credit for electric vehicles. The motion to table was agreed to, 91-8. [S 517, 4/25/02, #91] (Motion to table passed 91-8) The amendment was sponsored by Kyl himself.

Kyl Voted Against Renewable Electricity. In 2005, Kyl voted for an amendment to the Energy Bill that would bar federal subsidies for all wind power projects that fell within 20 miles of “high scenic areas. [HR 6, 6/22/05, #150] (Failed 32-63)

Kyl Was the Only Senator to Vote Against Reducing US dependence on Foreign Oil. In June 2003, Kyl voted against an amendment that would require the president to develop and implement measures to reduce total demand for petroleum in the United States by 1 million barrels per day by 2013, with the aim of reducing dependence on foreign oil. It would also require the president to submit an annual progress report to Congress. [S 14, 6/10/03, #213] (Passed 99-1)

Kyl Voted Against Renewable Fuel Requirements. In April 2004, Kyl voted against requiring that gasoline sold or introduced into the United States contain renewable fuel in specific amounts, beginning with 3.1 billion gallons in 2005 and increasing each year to 5 billion gallons in 2012. [S 150, 4/29/04, #73] (Cloture Failed 40-59)

Kyl Voted Against Renewable Fuels. Kyl voted not to require refiners to annually use 8 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2012. [Vote #138, 6/15/05]

Kyl voted against legislation that would require refiners to annually use 8 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2012. [HR 6, Vote #139, 6/15/05].

Kyl voted against legislation to encourage President Bush to develop measures that will reduce our dependency on foreign oil by 2025. [HR 6, Vote #140, 6/15/05]

Kyl voted against mandating renewable energy sources must produce at least 10 percent of the electricity sold by electric utilities by 2020 – 2.5 % by 2008-2011. [HR 6, Vote #141, 6/16/05]

Kyl voted for oil and gas drilling in coastal waters. “Environmentalists who fear offshore oil drilling suffered a clear defeat Tuesday when the Senate voted 52-44 to allow a federal inventory of oil and natural gas resources in coastal waters. Proponents of the inventory said it would help the nation assess its potential energy supplies. Opponents warned it would set off explosive testing in sensitive areas and prepare the way for oil drilling along the shores of Florida and California.” [Sun-Sentinel, 6/22/05, HR6, Vote #143, 6/21/05]

Kyl voted against mandating phased increases in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards. Legislation would have required passenger vehicles built before 2008 to average 25 miles per gallon and increase to 40 miles per gallons my model year 2016. Non-passenger vehicles would average 17 miles per gallon before 2008 and rise to an average 27.5 miles per gallon by 2016. [HR 6, Vote #157, 6/23/05]

Kyl voted against requiring oil and gas companies to sell oil drilled in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the United States rather than exporting it (in order to keep gas prices down). [S1932, Vote #289, 11/3/05]

Kyl voted against imposing a temporary tax on oil companies. The legislations would have imposed a temporary “windfall profits” tax on oil company profits from crude oil sales. The revenue from the tax would be used to provide a consumer tax credit for petroleum products [S 2020, Vote #331, 11/17/05]

Kyl voted against repealing tax breaks for Oil and Gas Companies. [S 2020, Vote #332, 11/17/05]

Kyl voted against a ban on price gouging on energy products. [S 2020, Vote #334, 11/17/05]

Jon Kyl, In 2003, Was One Of Two Senators In The Senate Finance Committee To Vote Against Tax Incentives For Energy Conservation, Including Hybrid And Other Alternative Fuel Vehicles. Jon Kyl, on April 2, 2003, was one of two senators who voted in the Senate Finance Committee against S.597, which was a bill to provide $15 billion in energy conservation tax incentives. The tax breaks in the bill included tax breaks for alternative cars, tax breaks for renewable energy production, including wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass energy production, and incentives for the use of alternative fuels, including ethanol. (Senate Finance Committee Markup of S.597, 04/02/03)

Jon Kyl, In 2003, Proposed Amendments In The Senate Finance Committee To Eliminate Incentives For Hybrid Cars, Wind Energy, And Alternative Fuels. Jon Kyl, on April 2, 2003, proposed numerous amendments in the Senate Finance Committee. Most were defeated by voice vote, “including one to remove subsidies for wind energy and one to remove subsidies for alternative fuels.” (CQ Committee Coverage, 04/02/03)

Jon Kyl also “suggested zeroing out the credit for hybrids and electric cars. ‘The benefits of alternative fuel vehicles are questionable,’ he said. Kyl said his amendment striking funding for alternative fuel vehicles would save $2.04 billion, but the provision failed by voice vote.” (Environment and Energy Daily, 04/03/03)

VOTE NO ON JON KYL. VOTE PEDERSON!