FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 19, 2024

CONTACT
Carter Dougherty
carter@ourfinancialsecurity.org

House Republicans Prioritize Corporate Greed, Pass Anti-ESG Bills 

Washington, D.C. – As the nation teeters on the edge of a costly government shutdown, House Republicans have chosen to prioritize corporate greed over the public interest. Yesterday and today, the House passed two harmful anti-ESG bills, H.R. 4790 (Prioritizing Economic Growth Over Woke Policies Act) and H.R. 5339 (Protecting Americans’ Investments from Woke Policies Act).

“Not only have they failed to pass a continuing resolution without any harmful riders or poison pill attachments just days before a costly government shutdown, but they’ve opted to use this time to vote on bills that harm everyone but corporations,” said Rukmani Bhatia, Advocacy & Legislative Director at Americans for Financial Reform. “House Republicans are putting corporate interests ahead of the needs of workers, investors, and the public.”

The bills coerce financial actors to ignore critical environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks in investment decisions. This approach can only benefit corporate boards and fossil fuel interests at the expense of workers, investors, and long-term sustainability.

“Instead of focusing on preventing a government shutdown that could hurt millions of people, House Republicans have spent their time passing legislation that rewards their corporate donors and harms workers, investors, and the broader public,” said Natalia Renta, senior policy counsel for corporate governance and power at Americans for Financial Reform. “These bills are a blatant giveaway to corporations, and they might as well call this effort ‘Greed Over People Week’ or ‘Koch Money Appreciation Week.’”

AFR and 39 partners opposed the bills and remain committed to fight for policies that put the interests of workers, investors, and the public ahead of corporate greed.

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