Let me tell you what it means to deal with the Bush Administration's EPA and the White House.

Picture this:

Three Senators huddled around one document - an EPA document that concludes that global warming endangers the American people, a document kept from the public by the White House. United States Senators compelled to take whatever notes they can, from a document only revealed to us under the watchful eyes of two White House lawyers.

This is what we are dealing with from this Administration: an apparent willingness to go to any lengths to keep critical information out of the public eye - a pattern and practice of obstruction, censorship, and cover up.

It is more than outrageous that documents that pertain to the health and safety and very lives of our citizens are being hidden from the American people. I will continue the fight on their behalf to let the sunshine in.

Which brings us to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson.

Mr. Stephen Johnson, a public official who should be held accountable for the actions of the EPA, refuses to appear before the Judiciary Committee to testify about White House Interference with EPA and Impeding Congressional Oversight.

This same Administrator, who should be accountable to the American people, has also failed to agree to our requests that he appear before the Environment and Public Works Committee. He has dodged our requests he appear to answer questions about:

-The Administration's decision on the air quality standard for Ozone.
-The Administration's failure to adequately protect children's health;
-The EPA's environmental record; and
-Changes to the EPA's program to assess the risks associated with toxic chemicals.

Mr. Johnson has forgotten who he works for, who pays his salary. It is the American people. And at the moment, he is AWOL.

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