House GOP Blocks Effort to Obtain Cheney Energy Task Force Data

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Bush Greenwatch

 

September 17, 2004 | Back Issues

 

House GOP Blocks Effort to Obtain Cheney Energy Task Force Data

 

Environmental and government watchdog groups reacted angrily Thursday

to a House committee vote rejecting a resolution that would have

directed the Bush administration to release documents and information

surrounding Vice President Dick Cheney's secret Energy Task Force

meetings.

 

" The American people have a right to know what went on behind closed

doors, " Anna Aurilio, legislative director for U.S. PIRG, told

BushGreenwatch. " We are extremely disappointed that the House

committee voted to keep the public in the dark about the Bush

administration's secret meetings with big corporations. "

 

The Republican-controlled House Energy and Commerce Committee voted

Wednesday against a " resolution of inquiry " that called upon the White

House to release the names and affiliations of anyone who met with

Vice President Cheney's National Energy Policy Development Group,

which developed President Bush's energy plan. The task force plan

provided the basis for the administration's energy bill, which is

currently stalled in the Senate.

 

Environmental and government watchdog groups have been fighting to

obtain information about individuals and corporations that may have

influenced the administration's energy policy since the draft plan was

released in May 2001. The groups believe the oil, gas, nuclear and

coal industries exerted undue influence over the development of the

White House plan. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Cheney

does not have to release any information until a lower court reviews

the case.

 

But Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich), ranking member of the House Energy and

Commerce Committee, along with Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Ed

Markey (D-Mass.), introduced a resolution calling upon the

administration to release the information. The resolution failed by a

30-22 party-line vote after committee Chairman Rep. Joe Barton

(R-Texas) blocked Democrats from holding debate on the issue.

 

" I don't think this is the last word, " said Rick Blum, coordinator of

openthegovernment.org, a coalition of groups supporting open

government. " The court case is still going forward. I think that

finding out who took part in the meetings will happen eventually. "

 

Others said that Americans shouldn't have to fight for what should be

public information to begin with.

 

" It shouldn't take an act of Congress to force the White House to

share information with the public about the public's business, "

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Senior Attorney Sharon

Buccino told BushGreenwatch. " The White House's dirty secrets about

Vice President Cheney's Energy Task Force are not sensitive security

information, but rather information critical to the national debate on

energy policy. Citizens have a right to know about how decisions were

made on policies that affect our quality of life and America's energy

security. "

 

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