"Congress has voted to undo a Clean Air Act regulation that strictly controls the amount of toxic air pollutants emitted by many industrial facilities like oil refineries, chemical plants, and steel mills.

The decision represents the first time since the creation of the landmark environmental law that Congress has rolled back its environmental protections.

Environmental groups and public health advocates condemned the vote, saying the rollback could cause higher pollution and harm human health.

"What that will mean for Americans is more hazardous air pollution across the country," says John Walke, an environmental health expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group."

Alejandra Borunda reports for NPR May 22, 2025. [2]