Republican

Key congressional Republicans voiced concerns Tuesday about the prospect that EPA will not set drinking water limits for two toxic chemicals — an issue that raises new hurdles for acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler’s bid to permanently lead the agency. POLITICO reported Monday that Wheeler has signed off on a still-unpublished decision not to regulate the chemicals under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The chemicals, known as PFOA and PFOS, are linked to dangerous health effects, including kidney and testicular cancer, and have been found in millions of Americans’ drinking water after being used for decades in products such as Teflon and military firefighting foam.Story Continued Below “I’m concerned about it,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), whose state has had two major contamination cases tied to the chemicals. “I’m concerned about what he thinks the reasoning is for how we’re going to get to a safer water standard if … [Read more...] about EPA’s chemical decision worries Republicans

Senate Republicans can’t stomach another shutdown. After weathering 35 days of a partial government closure, the Senate GOP is dreading the possibility another one will hit in less than three weeks — a sentiment that could prevent President Donald Trump from closing the government again. Story Continued Below Though House Republicans aren’t ruling out supporting the president should he choose another confrontation over his border wall, the Republican Senate majority — which actually has governing power — has another view. “I did not love the shutdown. I wouldn’t think anybody would have another shutdown,” said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), one of the key negotiators trying to strike a deal on border security. Most GOP lawmakers dutifully stuck with Trump in public as the partial government shutdown dragged on. But privately, Republican support began to crack as their polling and the economy both suffered. After a half-dozen GOP senators … [Read more...] about Republicans may block Trump from another shutdown