The vote is on the Wirth (D-CO) Amendment to the Appropriations bill for the Environmental Protection Agency (HR 3133). The Amendment would have increased the Agency's funding by $219 million. For two years, Congress had gone along with President Reagan's massive budget cuts at EPA. These cuts are a major factor in EPA's continuing failure to adequately protect the American public from polluted air, contaminated water, toxic chemicals and hazardous wastes. By 1983 nearly a third of the EPA staff had been let go, including key scientific personnel and inspectors of hazardous waste sites. These budget cuts came at a time when EPA's workload had nearly doubled because of new responsibilities brought about by new laws on toxic chemicals and wastes.

The Wirth Amendment would have restored EPA funding nearly to pre-Reagan levels. $151 million was earmarked for pollution and hazardous waste control, $45 million to beef up EPA staff, and $23.6 million for increased research and development. Though the Wirth Amendment passed the House, the Reagan Administration sidetracked similar efforts in the Senate. As a result, EPA's purchasing power has now been reduced 43% since President Reagan took office.

Wirth Amendment adopted 200-167. June 2, 1983. YES is the pro-environmental vote.