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Protecting Our Planet

December 7, 2023
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) introduced bicameral legislation to phase out single-use plastic foam food service products, “loose fill” such as packing peanuts, and non-medical disposable coolers – materials known to cause adverse health effects and pollute waterways. The Farewell to Foam Act will prohibit the sale and distribution of these items beginning January 2026 while aiming to support the transition to alternatives.

November 13, 2023
Washington, D.C.—As countries around the world convene at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin), joined by 12 Members, urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to address critical oversights currently missing in the Zero Draft text of an internationally legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. Specifically, the Members push for robust criteria to identify and phase out single-use plastics and implement rigorous measures to prevent and remove secondary microplastic pollution. The Members also call on the Administration to work with known big polluting industries—from tire manufacturers to textile producers—to determine best practices in addressing the root causes of secondary microplastic pollution.

September 22, 2023

Democrats in the House and Senate on Tuesday introduced a bill to curb plastic waste by imposing a new tax on U.S. manufacturers, producers and importers of “virgin plastic” resin destined for single-use plastics.


September 19, 2023
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Finance and Environment and Public Works Committees, introduced legislation that would create a new incentive to recycle plastic and help reduce the plastic waste that is disrupting coastal economies, overwhelming ecosystems, and threatening public health.

July 18, 2023
Two Texas Democrats are urging EPA to reject the state’s application to gain top regulatory oversight of carbon dioxide injection wells, pointing to a “lax attitude” toward enforcement at the Texas agency that would oversee the program.

July 17, 2023
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) and Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) urged Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Secretary Michael Regan to reject the Texas Railroad Commission’s application for primacy enforcement of the Class VI underground injection control (UIC) well program under the Safe Water Drinking Act.

July 13, 2023
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) teamed up to introduce a bicameral resolution designating July as Plastic Pollution Action Month, citing extreme concern over the plastic pollution crisis that is threatening human health, dumping tens of millions of pieces of plastic in the ocean, and killing hundreds of thousands of animals every year. 

June 29, 2023
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and other national lawmakers are pushing the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce plastic waste and pollution in an effort to prevent microplastics from entering the nation's waterways.

June 27, 2023
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and 67 Members urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan to do more to reduce plastic waste and pollution and prevent microplastics from entering our waterways.

May 23, 2023
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) spoke on the House Floor to oppose Republicans’ latest attack on public health and environmental protections, S.J. Res. 11, which would invoke the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from mitigating the harmful air quality impacts of heavy-duty engines.