EPA chief Scott Pruitt returns to Capitol Hill Thursday morning for a face-to-face meeting with House Democrats who have been licking their chops for a chance to grill him about his climate change agenda. He better brace himself for no doubt there will be some heated exchanges.
The former Oklahoma Attorney General will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in a hearing about the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency. Democrats have been begging for a chance to interview him and question him about the EPA rollback of climate regulations.
“I’m concerned about the culture of secretary that Administrator Pruitt has taken into EPA, in particulate I want to know what his plan is for dealing with climate change because he has been pretty secretive about what he wants to do about that,” said Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colorado) according to a report by E and E News.
The hearing will be held by the Subcommittee on Environment and Oklahoma Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R) is a member.
“We really need to get answers here, this will be our first hearing with Pruitt, I think it’s important that he come in prepared to answer our questions and work collegially with the committee with Rep. DeGette.
She and other Democrats are concerned about the rollback of the Clean Power Plan, budget cuts at the agency and the EPA’s reconsideration of vehicle emissions standards.
Another Democrat, Rep. Doris Matsui of California said, “climate change can’t be ignored.”
Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell, another Democrat is concerned about the EPA’s fuel economy lab in her district.
Others plan to question Pruitt about his recent decision to exclude scientists who receive EPA grant funding from the agency’s advisory panels.