Freshman Northwest Florida congressman Matt Gaetz has received a lot of attention over his one-sentence bill to abolish the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
In fact, it’s currently the most-viewed bill on Congress.gov, Gaetz says.
Given the bill’s low chances of legislative success — it’s attracted only three cosponsors and has no companion bill in the U.S. Senate — some have speculated that Gaetz’s bill is intended to “start a conversation” about reforming the agency, which many conservatives charge is bloated, inefficient, and has overstepped its regulatory authority.
But in a new opinion piece for the Daily Caller, Gaetz says the EPA can’t be reformed and needs to be abolished — despite the prominent role the agency has played in cleaning up numerous Superfund sites in his district.
“Unlike our environment, the EPA cannot be saved,” Gaetz writes.
“Essential EPA functions can be addressed by various agencies, such as Interior, Agriculture, Justice, Energy, and Health,” Gaetz continues. “After all, the EPA was pulled piecemeal from these sources less than fifty years ago.”
“We need a fresh start so states can deploy more efficient environmental strategies. While our natural treasures will always be worth saving, the EPA isn’t.”
Read Rep. Matt Gaetz’s EPA viewpoint in full on the Daily Caller website.
