Democrats Unite for ReWIND Act: A Pro-Environment Push to Combat Stimulus Package Inadequacies

As the country awaits a fifth stimulus package from the Federal government, Democrats are standing up to push back against certain inadequacies of the proposed bill and ensure that their pro-environment stance is felt. The proposed $3 trillion package includes aid to state and local governments as well as direct payments of $1200 to families, but it does not go far enough in protecting against bailouts of the oil and gas industry.

In order to combat this, Representative Nanette Barragán (D-CA) introduced the Resources for Workforce Investments Not Drilling (ReWIND) Act. This legislation seeks to counteract any pro-fossil fuel actions taken by the Trump administration by limiting royalty reductions for leasing federal land or water, preventing CARES Act money from being doled out, setting up a moratorium on leases, stopping modifications of environmental regulations, and extending public comment periods on EPA regulations. The overall goal is to prevent taxpayer money from going towards bailing out oil and gas companies during this difficult time.

Natalie Mebane, 350 Action associate policy director has praised the ReWIND Act as a good start but cautioned that it does not go far enough in protecting against bailouts of the oil and gas industry. With Democrats uniting behind this legislation, they hope to make sure that any stimulus packages put forward prioritize environmental protection over corporate interests. By doing so they hope to ensure that no taxpayer money goes towards supporting an industry that has long been detrimental to our environment and climate at large.

The Democratic party stands with Representative Barragán in her fight against any stimulus packages that fail to protect our environment or put corporate interests above those of everyday citizens. The introduction of the ReWIND Act is just one step towards ensuring that pro-environment policies are included in future relief packages. As the House prepares for a vote on the fifth stimulus package, Democrats must remain united in their support for environmental protection if we want any chance of succeeding in this endeavor!