It has been a lonely few months for those of us who believe government ought to help protect the air we breathe, water we drink, food we eat, and products we buy. Opponents of regulation, especially in Congress, have been accusing regulations of being “job-killers” and creating uncertainty (though they never explain how). It can sometimes feel as though we’re outnumbered, outflanked, and outgunned.

While the latter two may remain true, the first is certainly not. Two new polls prove that the vast majority of Americans support common sense health and safety standards.

“Three out of four voters support the [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] setting tougher standards on specific air pollutants, including mercury, smog and carbon dioxide, as well as setting higher fuel efficiency standards for heavy duty trucks,” according to the first poll, the results of which the American Lung Association released yesterday. That means, despite all the grandstanding of the opposition, recent and pending standards on carbon pollution from refineries, power plants, and vehicles; on toxic emissions from industrial boilers; and on ozone pollution from a variety of sources, have broad public support.

The second poll, released yesterday by Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, found overwhelming support – 98% – for a role for government in consumer product safety. The fact that 98% of Americans agree on anything is noteworthy enough, but some of the poll’s specific findings are worth committing to memory. “82 percent strongly agreed the federal government should require testing by manufacturers of children's products like jewelry, pacifiers and toys to ensure they do not contain any harmful substances,” according to the poll, and, “82 percent said they were interested in the ability to access a database maintained by the government where you can report and search safety problems.”

The polls’ results come in the middle of a week in which House Republicans are beating up on these very ideas. Today, the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing where Republican members and industry witnesses are actually expected to complain about revised standards for lead in children’s toys and a new Consumer Product Safety Commission database that allows consumers to report hazardous products as well as read the reports of other consumers.

On Tuesday, committee members once again lashed out against the EPA, criticizing agency rules for their compliance costs while making no mention of benefits. But that’s not the worst of it: House Republicans’ budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, which they expect to vote on today, would overrule EPA scientists and prevent the agency from enforcing controls on greenhouse gases from the largest polluters. The appropriations bill would prevent EPA from spending money on the standards, as well as other air and water protections.

Today’s vote will be a telling indicator of whether representatives are actually listening to Americans. According to the American Lung Association poll, “64 percent oppose Congressional efforts to stop the EPA from updating standards on carbon dioxide.”