Boxer: Rename EPA amendment the 'More Air Pollution for Americans Act'

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) has some derogatory names for an amendment offered by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to limit the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases.  

Boxer said she would like to rename the amendment the "Reliance on Foreign Oil Forever Act" or "The More Air Pollution for Americans Act."

McConnell's amendment, officially named the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, would permanently block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources like power plants and refineries.

"I would call it the 'Reliance on the Foreign Oil Forever Act' because part of it says we can no longer look at fuel economy through the Clean Air Act," said Boxer. "If you don’t like that you can name if something else, like the 'The More Air Pollution for Americans Act' because this amendment says forever the EPA can never, ever go after carbon pollution.”

Boxer added that she believes McConnell's amendment is a "radical, radical amendment.”

"This amendment is an attack on our children," Boxer added.

Two votes are scheduled for around 6 p.m. on Tuesday on further amendments to the small business bill. The EPA amendment may come up for a vote at that time.