g.k. butterfield

Can you believe it? I bet you can. I actually bet most people don't really mind it either. But the House of Representatives voted to officially recognize the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith.

Update: Still no word from McIntyre or Etheridge. Please call them and see if we can get them to take a position on the Clean Water Protection Act (HR 2169.) Thanks!

The Clean Water Protection Act (HR 2169) would reverse the Bush Administration’s 2002 decision that the toxic “waste” created by mountaintop removal could be defined as “fill material,” and recklessly dumped into our water ways. This practice has already destroyed over 1200 miles of American headwater streams, and eliminated access to safe, clean potable water for many communities. The CWPA (HR 2169) currently has 107 co-sponsors, and a lot of momentum. But we need more to get out of committee and onto the floor.

We have 5 of 7 Democrats from NC onboard, and we need to know if Bob Etheridge and Mike McIntyre are “wit’ us” or “ginst us” on HR 2169. Please ask.

If you have a moment, please see if your Congressman is a co-sponsor, and take a moment to call Etheridge (202-225-2731) and McIntyre (202-225-2731), politely but forcefully asking that they co-sponsor the Clean Water Protection Act (HR 2169), and take a stand against mountaintop removal.

A quick report on our NC Dems and mountaintop removal below…

Price, Butterfield Worked to Include the Prohibition in the Bill

A key House committee today approved a bill that would block funding for the Navy's plan to locate an Outlying Landing Field (OLF) in Washington County, NC. The site has raised objections from the surrounding communities, environmentalists, sportsmen, and numerous state and local leaders.

Reps. David Price (NC-04) and G.K. Butterfield (NC-01) worked with their colleagues on the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee to strip the funding. Price is a member of the full Appropriations Committee and a former member of the military construction subcommittee. The bill, which passed the full committee by a voice vote today, is slated to move to the House floor within two weeks.

Not sure how I missed posting this, but better late than never.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – The John Edwards for President campaign announced today that all seven members of North Carolina's Democratic Congressional delegation are endorsing Senator John Edwards for President.

The seven North Carolina congressmen endorsing Edwards are Congressman G.K Butterfield (D-1st), Congressman Bob Etheridge (D-2nd), Congressman David Price (D-4th), Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-7th), Congressman Heath Shuler (D-11th), Congressman Mel Watt (D-12th) and Congressman Brad Miller (D-13th).

"I am proud to have the support of these outstanding members of Congress," said Edwards. "They work each and every day to bring North Carolina common sense to Washington and to represent the people of our great state with dignity and honor. I value both their ideas and their friendship and thank them for their support."

Nancy Pelosi has appointed G.K. Butterfield to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has the largest mandate of any committee in the House. In taking this position Butterfield stepped down from his seat on the Armed Services Committee, which is considered a lesser post, but one made locally important by the large presence of the military in North Carolina.

According to a report in the Durham Herald-Sun "Butterfield said the new committee assignment means he'll be in a strong position to help farmers with energy issues and advocate the use of alternative fuels."

This ambition should tie in nicely with the pending appointments of Mike McIntrye and Bob Etheridge as subcommittee chairs on the House Agricultural Committee. Since the Agricultural Committee has jurisdiction over biofuels legislation this will give North Carolina significant influence over the development of alternative energy policy in the next Congress.

fped and added a photo of Rep. Butterfield. - RP


I just ran across this bit of news about Congressman G.K. Butterfield in "The Hill." Evidently he's on the verge of being appointed to a significant post in the house leadership.

Today I'm going to introduce you to an issue that may only impact the 1st Congressional District in the short run, but certainly the environmental concerns impact us all. The U.S. Navy has proposed a location for a practice landing field near the winter nesting site of 100,000 Tundra Swans, geese and other migratory birds. The 34-acre site affects land in Beaufort and Washington Counties and other surrounding counties.

Most of us can read that introduction and see the red flags. the environmental impact of this airfield would border on disastrous. Anyone familiar at all with the area can list off the names of the wildlife refuges that dot our coastal region. We can all probably imagine the harm the noise and jet fuel will cause.

Join me on the flip side...