Representative King (R-NY) and the GOP have their priorities backwards.

Representative King and the GOP are playing politics with homeland security. And while they’re busy holding hearings on the ‘radicalization’ of Muslim Americans, they’re also busy extending loopholes in our chemical security law. Tell Rep. King to stop playing politics with homeland security and focus on what really threatens Americans

On the heels of an announcement that he would be holding a series of homeland security hearings on the ‘radicalization’ of Muslim Americans, Rep. King sponsored a bill to extend the loopholes in a chemical security law for seven more years instead of supporting strong legislation that will prevent chemical disasters at plants that store tons of poison gases.

The 300 highest risk chemical plants together put over 100 million Americans needlessly at risk every single day and elected officials like Rep. King and the rest of the GOP are working to keep it that way.

King claimed it’s about jobs. But you and I know better. His support for a weak chemical security law has more to do with the corporate interests of chemical manufacturers than it does jobs. He just hopes his political theater will distract you.

Representative King claims that his hearings on Muslim Americans are ‘essential’. Meanwhile, he’s ignoring one of the biggest threats to homeland security. In fact, just across the river from his district is the highest risk chemical plant in the country, the Kuehne chemical facility in South Kearny, New Jersey. According to the facility’s report to the Environmental Protection Agency, 12 million people in the New York City/New Jersey area are threatened by their bulk storage of chlorine gas.

King and the rest of the GOP need to direct their attention where it should be — protecting our safety. If we continue to ignore these high-risk chemical plants we could be opening the door to real terrorist threats like the risk of a poison gas disaster in New York and other communities around the United States.

This isn’t about saving jobs. It’s a gift to the chemical industry.

For a safer future,

Rick Hind

Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner