Zeldin defends plan to cut EPA budget in half at House hearing

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin testified before the House Appropriations subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on April 28, 2026, defending the Trump administration's proposal to reduce the EPA's budget from $9.1 billion to approximately $4.5 billion — a 52 percent cut. The hearing became contentious when Zeldin clashed with Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who called the proposal a "climate change deniers' manifesto," prompting gavel interventions by Chairman Mike Simpson. The proposed cuts would eliminate climate programs and reduce enforcement staff to historically low levels.