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Trump Revives Dakota Access Pipeline, Destroys Earth, Silences EPA

While President Trump signed five executive orders with huge environmental repercussions, Congress moved to permanently take away low-income women's abortion access.

Below is what happened on Trump's second day in office. You can find out what damage was done every other day so far on the Saddest Calendar on the Internet.

The day after infringing on women's health worldwide with the reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy, Trump decided it was time he diversify the communities, geographic areas, and cultures that he actively undermines. Notably, he signed a total of five orders that relate to the environmental community, including advancing the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines, completely disregarding the Standing Rock Sioux tribe's treaty rights and their rightful access to uncontaminated water.

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According to his memorandum as transcribed on the Atlantic, Trump believes "the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) under development by Dakota Access, LLC, represents a substantial, multi-billion-dollar private investment in our Nation's energy infrastructure… [and] that construction and operation of lawfully permitted pipeline infrastructure serve the national interest."

The pro-fossil fuel president also cites his favorite justification: this will create jobs, so many jobs.

Quick reminder that these jobs would be temporary, whereas compromising the tribe's rights and enabling something that "would produce the annual equivalent of 30 coal mines worth of CO2 [each year]," according to Gizmodo, would cause irreversible damage. Good thing Trump also called for a media blackout at the Environmental Protection Agency today! Even better there are some excellent employees behind these agencies, like Badlands National Park, who kept on tweeting regardless.

Concurrently, the House of Representatives voted 238–183 to pass HR7, a bill that prohibits the use of taxpayer money for abortions and consequently reinforces the blatantly racist, sexist, and classist 1977 Hyde Amendment. As reported by Broadly:

The bill would prohibit federal money from subsidizing abortion care for low-income women insured by Medicaid and women in the military and federal workforce. But it also goes further in its explicit call to bar abortion coverage for women insured through the Affordable Care Act exchanges.


That's Bleak. Who's Fighting Against It?

The Standing Rock Sioux tribe is currently urging Trump to allow for the completion of a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Additionally, the Center for Reproductive Rights released a statement condemning the passing of HR 7. "It's particularly shameful that politicians in Congress are voting to restrict a woman's ability to get basic health care services just three days after millions of women, men, and families mobilized and marched for their rights," said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Not Depressed Yet? Read the Full Saddest Calendar on the Internet