Press Releases

U.S. House Passes Rep. Jason Smith’s Amendment to Block Taxpayer Funded Propaganda 

Smith’s amendment blocks funding to the EPA Environmental Education grant program 

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Jason Smith’s amendment to H.R. 5538, the Department of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for FY 2017. The amendment blocks funding to the EPA’s Environmental Education (EE) grant program, preventing millions of taxpayer dollars from continuing to be used to fund propaganda supporting new EPA regulations.

Prior to passage of his amendment, Smith commented, “While these grants were originally intended to support schools and academic programs, the vast majority have gone to non-profits, many of which have political agendas.” Smith continued, “These grants have funded activities that reinforce the EPA’s radical regulatory agenda. Even the Obama Administration has sought to cut grants such as these in the past.”

The National Environmental Education Act of 1990 gave the EPA the authority to conduct environmental education programs through the use of Environmental Education grants. Instead of using these funds to fund school programs as it was originally intended, the EPA has used this grant money to fund liberal leaning non-profit groups who support the regulatory mission of the EPA. Between 1992-2015, the EPA Environmental Education program supplied over $50 million in taxpayer provided assistance to provide research backing up the latest EPA rule, mandate or regulation.

Following passage, Smith said, “I would like to thank my colleagues in the House for voting in favor of my amendment today to put a stop to taxpayer funded propaganda by the EPA. With the country $19 trillion in debt, and aggregate emissions at their lowest in decades, I do not see the need for tax payer funds to go towards federal programs that push anti-energy, pro-regulation and anti-consumer agenda propaganda.”

This amendment continues Smith’s commitment to protecting taxpayers from out-of-control federal agencies like the EPA. Smith introduced the End EPA Advertising Act to stop the EPA from using taxpayer money to hire public relations contractors after it was uncovered that the EPA spent 26 million in taxpayer funds between 2000 and 2014 to hire outside public relations contractors to create media campaigns to push their agenda. Smith also introduced the End EPA Rouge Spending Act earlier this year to prevent the EPA from spending any fine, private settlement, penalty or fee they collect.