Affordable Housing, Banning Bottled Water and National Security
Congress considers a housing bailout bill that includes provisions for more federal spending on “affordable” housing.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls for a phased-in ban on use of bottled water by local governments.
The House Select Intelligence Committee holds a hearing on the national security implications of climate change.
1.FINANCE
Congress considers a housing bailout bill that includes provisions for more federal spending on “affordable” housing.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Special Projects Counsel Hans Bader on the results of misguided affordability policies:
“Congress is now pushing for the creation of a taxpayer-subsidized ‘affordable housing trust’ in mortgage bailout legislation nearing passage. The Boston Globe has a story on how the fetish for ‘affordable housing’ resulted in dangerous, costly, wasteful subsidized housing units in the Chicago region, that enriched corrupt developers. Federal obsessions with ‘affordable housing’ and ‘diversity’ in homeownership also helped spawn the mortgage crisis.”
2. CONSUMER
The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls for a phased-in ban on use of bottled water by local governments.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Director of Risk & Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini on the controversy over bottled water:
“Environmental activists want to regulate bottled water out of existence because they say that it is a waste of resources because the alternatives–such as filtered tap water placed in refillable containers–are just as good. What they don’t consider is where people will be forced to fill those refillable bottles when they are in public places. Most of us don’t tote around Britta filters, so when in public places, we are left to consider drinking from a public faucet, like a water fountain and public bathroom tap. No thanks! Even a child can tell you that those places are full of unappetizing germs.”
3. ENERGY
The House Select Intelligence Committee holds a hearing on the national security implications of climate change.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis testifies before the Committee:
“I am not saying that global warming is a myth or that there are no health, environment, and safety risks associated with climate change. What I am saying is that there are also risks associated with climate change policy. Policymakers should assess and weigh both sets of risks before deciding on a course of action. In most public discussions, however, the risks of climate policy are not even acknowledged. We ignore the risks of climate policy at our peril.”