Honorable Mark Udall
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Udall:
As one of your constituents, I am writing to ask that you support the
provision in the Legislative Appropriations Bill, H.R. 1905, authored by
Congressman Sam Farr, requiring Congress to recycle. Please oppose any
attempt to remove the recycling language on procedural grounds, for
instance as a point of order.
I recycle and so do the majority of Americans. Recycling protects the
environment by conserving natural resources, reducing pollution and
conserving energy. It creates many times more jobs in our communities
than sending resources to landfills.
Recycling benefits both present and future generations, by acting as
good stewards to protect the environment that sustains us. It is time
for Congress to listen to this grassroots movement, supported by more
than 120 million Americans, local and state government, the executive
branch of the federal government, and many thousands of businesses.
OPPOSE the Point of Order to Strip Farr Language On Recycling
PROBLEM: Congress is failing to recycle. Paper, bottles, cans,
glass, and plastic being recycled by the majority of Americans are being
discarded as waste by members of Congress and their staff. It's time to
demand that Congress take responsibility for its waste!
SOLUTION: Congressman Sam Farr (D - Carmel CA) proposed an
amendment to the Legislative
Appropriations Bill, H.R. 1905, requiring the U.S. House of
Representatives to recycle. The Farr amendment was adopted by the House
Appropriations Committee last week, after a bi-partisan show of support.
NEED FOR ACTION: The rule adopted in the House Rules Committee
establishing the
procedure for considering H.R. 1905 on the House floor does not, repeat
does not protect the Farr language. Opponents are expected to challenge
the Farr language on recycling through a Point of Order, claiming the
recycling language is non-germane.
Recycling doesn't work if you don't buy recycled. If Congress doesn't
recycle, then what type of example are they setting for the rest of the
Federal government and private sector? Congress enacted the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act in 1976, they designated EPA to oversee
the Buy-recycled mandate that was later enforced through Executive
Orders 12873 and 13101. Every two years the Federal Environmental
Executive reports to Congress on the progress Federal agencies are
making with their
buy-recycled policies. Who is Congress reporting to?
Once again, I ask you to stand behind Congressman Sam Farr's bill H.R.
1905. There is an opportunity for you, Mark, to be a leader and
advocate for Colorado State's recycling and environmental laws. I urge
you to make this issue one of your top priorities to work on. The
future preservation of Colorado's quality of life and open space is
hinged on the decisions our representatives make. Please make the right
decision and support this grassroots movement.
I would appreciate the favor of a reply.
Respectfully,
Vanessa Morganti
Future Solutions, Inc.
9769 West 119th Drive
Suite 4
Broomfield, CO 80021
Points of Interest for the State of Colorado
*There are no comprehensive recycling laws for the State of Colorado.
*No packaging or product restrictions
*The only landfill ban is that of "free liquids".
*The Colorado state has no purchasing preference for buying recycled
products.
*Tires, oil, batteries and gas are the only things exempted from
landfills.
*Bills of interest-HB1176 (Swenson), HB1324 (Anderson)
*As of 1994, recycling jobs that were created reached 192,048 in the
US. Even if recycling requires some subsidies, it creates real jobs in
the States. Pennsylvania has the largest recycling budget. The biggest
sector was paper, with paper recovery accounting for 15,800 jobs in PA.
Recycling sector jobs accounted for more than 8.3% of all manufacturing
jobs in Maine and 4.3% in Pennsylvania.* There are no records for
Colorado at this time because of the low support we receive at a State
level and Federal level.
*It is estimated that the recycling industry is valued at about 18
billion per year in the US. Judging from the numbers in Raymond
Communications, Inc. survey, total recycling employment could be as high
as 400,000 nationwide.*
*Raymond Communications, Inc. was the source of this information.