Government Rewards Contractors at Hurricane Victims' Expense
- by: People Over Profits
- recipient: U.S. Senate
No-Bid contracts for rebuilding the Gulf Coast ensure that a handful of corporations will make hundreds of millions of dollars. Now Congress wants to sweeten the deal by giving these corporations immunity from liability, allowing them to avoid being held accountable - even when they are grossly negligent.
In a fell swoop, the Gulf Coast Recovery Act (S. 1761) wipes out dozens of federal laws and regulations; the bill would eviscerate environmental regulations, leaving key provisions of many environmental protection statutes in shambles.
Under S. 1761, companies that contract with the government in the recovery zone could not be sued by individuals for violating the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA Asbestos Regulations, and many other federal environmental laws and regulations.
Citizens would be left without a remedy against contractors that cause irreparable harm, not only to the air and water, but also to life and property.
For Congress to view the tragedy of Katrina as an excuse to reward wealthy, powerful corporations is unconscionable. It is all the more shameful because these are the same corporations that, in the wake of Katrina, already stand to make hundreds of millions of dollars in government contracts.
Ask your Senators to vote NO on S. 1761.
In a fell swoop, the Gulf Coast Recovery Act (S. 1761) wipes out dozens of federal laws and regulations; the bill would eviscerate environmental regulations, leaving key provisions of many environmental protection statutes in shambles.
Under S. 1761, companies that contract with the government in the recovery zone could not be sued by individuals for violating the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA Asbestos Regulations, and many other federal environmental laws and regulations.
Citizens would be left without a remedy against contractors that cause irreparable harm, not only to the air and water, but also to life and property.
For Congress to view the tragedy of Katrina as an excuse to reward wealthy, powerful corporations is unconscionable. It is all the more shameful because these are the same corporations that, in the wake of Katrina, already stand to make hundreds of millions of dollars in government contracts.
Dear Senator,
S. 1761 would prevent citizens from holding contracting firms accountable in the event their actions pollute the environment, destroy property or result in injury or death during a large-scale disaster cleanup project.
Under this bill, government contractors would be immune for harm caused by clean-up of a large natural disaster. A contractor in violation of the Clean Water Act- or any other law or regulation administered by the EPA, Secretary of the Army, or Transportation- could not be held accountable by citizens for negligent actions like poisoning drinking water or spilling toxic waste. Individuals would then be left without a remedy against government contractors that cause irreparable damage to their quality of life, property, or well being of loved ones.
For example, the Fluor Corporation - a company with a history of unsafe practices - was awarded a $100 million federal contract for Gulf Coast construction projects. A subsidiary of Fluor, however, was recently sued for causing a 300 million gallon spill of liquefied coal waste. Called the biggest environmental disaster in the Southeast, the spill shut down water systems, killed area fish populations and destroyed the property of hundreds of families. S. 1761's passage would make it impossible for citizens to hold Flour and other contractors accountable during any large-scale disaster cleanup project.
This is an example of government helping big business to boost profits at the expense of citizens. Many contractors are already benefiting from the no-bid contracts awarded after Hurricane Katrina. Combining no-bid contracts with immunity for wrongdoing is a recipe for disaster. Please oppose S. 1761.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
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