HR 623 Stopped in Congressional Subcommittee on Energy and Power!

The flurry of activity leading up to Wednesday's mark-up paid off. In a remarkable turn of events, HR 623 was REJECTED by the Subcommittee on Energy & Power by a vote of 13 to 12. Two Republicans voted against the bill (Bilirakis and Wilson) while one Democrat (Hall) voted for it. Heroes of the day include Democrats John Dingell and Rick Boucher and Republicans Mike Bilirakis and Heather Wilson. The bill was weakened by two amendments (offered by Boucher and Dingell, respectively) before finally being voted down. It is highly unusual for a bill to be scheduled for subcommittee or committee consideration and not have the votes to pass -- but that's what happened Wednesday.

The final tally was as follows:

All other subcommittee members (4 R's and 2 D's) were not not present for the final vote So with a one-vote margin, every vote was a key vote. Heather Wilson (R-NM) clearly bucked the trend on her side of the subcommittee and voted against the bill. Also of note, Tom Sawyer, the only Democrat on the subcommittee to have cosponsored the Knollenberg bill in this Congress, voted against it.

We still need to be vigilant against the possibility of the Knollenberg language being added to another bill, such as an appropriations bill, but as of today we have an even more powerful argument against it -- the original bill has been voted down by the subcommittee.

Congratulations to all who have labored, organized, and agonized over this issue for the last three years. If it hadn't been for the amazing avalanche of emails, faxes, and letters the outcome would not have been that positive. Thank you again for all your help! National plumbing efficiency standards are safe for now.

A key ingredient was the customer satisfaction survey recently completed by the Metropolitan Water District. Many commerce committee members were familiar with its contents and used the information very effectively in their arguments against the bill. Without this most recent survey, we might not have been so persuasive in the halls of Congress. Thanks to MWD for their help at a critical moment.

But it's not fully over yet. Rep. Knollenberg may use his influence in Appropriations to try to sneak something in. But this defeat today will go a long way toward making sure the bill won't go far.

Thank you for your help!
(Compiled from e-mails by Ed Osann and CUWCC)

ACTION ALERT!
Calls, faxes, letters, and e-mails needed by Wednesday April 12th
in support of maintaining national water efficiency standards!
(draft letter, contact information, and links to background information below)

April 9, 2000
A markup on HR 623 has been scheduled for consideration of the Energy and Power Subcommittee next Wednesday, April 12th at 10:00 a.m. EDT. Our grassroots lobbying campaign is beginning to work. Some subcommittee members are growing a little worried over what they have been hearing from us. They are now in a listening mode. The two most important actions we should be taking now and right up until the time of the hearing is to continue our letter writing campaign to each member of the subcommittee.

IMMEDIATE ACTION ITEMS

Each and every organization that has signed on to the position statement should be activating their grassroots NOW to write (fax), call and e-mail messages of opposition to HR. 623. It is not too late. In a sense, it has just begun. Many subcommittee members haven't considered the issue in depth until now. Keep the comments piling up on their desks.

Secondly, calls, letters (faxed) and messages from GOVERNORS and MAYORS not only to Barton but to members of their congressional delegations who sit on the E&P subcommittee will really spook the subcommittee members. This is a must.

Please act now. Remember, we have the time to turn this around if we act now.

ACTION ALERT DRAFT LETTER: in support of maintaining national water efficiency standards

April 7, 2000
Greetings --

Once again, your help is needed to maintain national water efficiency standards for plumbing products -- and all the benefits that result from these standards for our rivers, wetlands, wildlife, and water quality.

We just learned this evening that Rep. Joe Barton will place the Knollenberg Bill, HR 623, on the schedule to be considered and voted upon at a meeting of the House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Energy & Power to be held next Wednesday, April 12, at 10 AM. Representative Knollenberg already can count on a lopsided majority of this subcommittee's Republicans to support his bill -- 12 out of 16 are already cosponsors. What is especially disturbing, however, are reports that some previously uncommitted members are now leaning his way, overlooking the well-documented efficiencies of new plumbing products and the broad support for maintaining national efficiency standards.

Click here to read a draft letter proposed to be delivered to each member of the House Commerce Committee on Monday afternoon. If you are able to sign on, please provide the name, position, and organization to be used by Monday NOON, April 10. Confirm your participation by e-mail at eosann@idt.net or by phone at 202-429-8873. National Wildlife Federation has agreed to provide a live signature at the top of the signature page -- other than that, signatures will not be collected due to the shortness of time.

With your help, this mindless assault on a highly effective conservation measure can be turned back.

--Ed Osann

ACTION ALERT CONTACT INFORMATION: Calls, faxes, and e-mails needed in support of maintaining national water efficiency standards!

April 4, 2000
Hello interested members of the California Urban Water Conservation Council:

We have just received word that there is a very distinct possibility that the Subcommittee on Energy and Power of the House Commerce Committee will meet next week to consider and vote on HR 623. The schedule is usually put out on Friday, so there is no formal confirmation of this as of yet, and a decision to schedule the bill, if made, could still be reversed.

NOW is the time for all of you to make those calls, send those emails, and blast those faxes in support of maintaining national water efficiency standards. We especially need contacts to the House Commerce Committee members. Attached to this message is the list of California members of the Committee as well as the Chairs. Their mailing addresses, fax numbers, and emails are noted. Please send your letter to ALL of them.

This is crunch time. We desperately need your help.

Thank You.
Mary Ann Dickinson
Executive Director, CUWCC

HR 623 UPDATE for January 2000

HR 623 is still alive. There was a House Commerce Subcommittee hearing in the summer, and Members of Congress, including James Rogan, R from near Pasadena, continue to sign on as co-sponsors. Congress has been out of session since October, so that is why you have not heard much, but they return this month. The Commerce Committee Chair says that he will hold a hearing on the bill in 2000. We are trying to make sure that does not happen.

The Congressional Budget Office is doing a report on the bill, and I will be on a conference call with them tomorrow. I understand the CBO does not have much information, and I hope that once they get the correct information, they will write a fair report. If this bill does start to move, it must be passed by Commerce Committee and the House of Representatives and then go to the Senate. I think we should be able to keep the bill from passing this year. But, if the bill makes progress and the current leadership returns in 2001, we will start the fight all over again with a new bill number. The best outcome will be to have the bill stay stuck in the House Commerce Subcommittee.

If you have already written to your Member of Congress (click here for a list of cosponsors), please write a letter to the Wall St. Journal after reading this action alert.

-Frances Spivy-Weber, MLC Executive Director

Back to HR 623

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