Palmer Amendment Bans Weaponization of the EPA

For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Kris Cook (202) 225-4921

Washington, DC – Following the passage the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year of 2024, which included his amendment prohibiting the EPA from using funds to arm agents as part of the agency’s criminal enforcement division, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06) released the following statement:

“It is baffling to me that Democrats call for defunding the police, yet desire for EPA agents to be armed like the U.S. military,” said Rep. Palmer. “Most Americans are unaware the EPA spends $50 million a year to arm agents with equipment more appropriate for the military. They are just one of 70 agencies arming agents even though they have nothing to do with law enforcement. This is unacceptable. We should not be arming the Environmental Protection Agency to harass American businesses, farmers, and landowners.”

You can view the floor debate regarding the amendment below:

Rep. Palmer Offers an Amendment to Defund EPA's Armed Agents - YouTube

Background:

The Environmental Protection Agency has spent millions of dollars on guns, ammo, body armor, camouflage equipment, unmanned aircraft, amphibious assault ships, radar and night-vision gear and other military-style weaponry and surveillance activities, according to a report by the watchdog group Open the Books. You can read the full report here.

An article about the arming of the EPA can be found here.

The full text of the amendment can be found here.