Thanks to The St. Louis American for endorsing Claire McCaskill for U.S. Senate. While she did not win, she deserves our appreciation for standing up for the public interest during her 12 years in the Senate.
For example, she voted against the nomination of Scott Pruitt to be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Pruitt later resigned in disgrace for his lavish spending and self-dealing. Senator McCaskill also voted against Brett Kavanaugh for U.S. Supreme Court. Kavanaugh has a history of judicial decisions that favor corporate polluters over the public health. The Sierra Club applauds McCaskill taking these tough votes for clean air and clean water.
In Missouri, air pollution particularly impacts African-American children, who experience double the rate of emergency room visits as white children, according to the state Department of Health and Senior Services.
Let’s keep on eyes on U.S. Senator-elect Josh Hawley, to see which side he is on. Will he vote for the public health, or for corporate polluters?
John Hickey, director
Sierra Club, Missouri Chapter
St. Louis
