Inhofe, 48 Senators File CRAs Against Obama’s Carbon Mandates
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today joined a bipartisan group of Senators in filing Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolutions of Disapproval against the carbon emission standards for new and existing sources, two rules proposed and finalized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as directed under President Obama’s Climate Action Plan from June 2013.
“Since the president first took office, he has been working to sidestep significant opposition to his extreme global warming agenda and achieve through regulatory fiat what Congress has rejected time and again,” Inhofe said. "Currently his EPA is steamrolling ahead with climate regulations that a majority of states reject and that ignore the will of Congress, rely on unrealistic assumptions, cost billions to our economy, will increase our energy bills, and according to EPA itself will not impact global warming. I am proud to join a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing CRA resolutions to send a clear message to the nation and the international community that the majority of the U.S. Senate does not support the president’s carbon mandates.”
Inhofe is an original cosponsor to Sens. Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) and Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) CRA, S.J.Res. 23, that will rescind the carbon emissions standard for new power plants and is cosponsored by a total of 48 Senators. Inhofe is also an original cosponsor to Sens. Shelley Moore Capito’s (R-W.Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp’s (D-N.D.) resolution, S.J.Res. 24, that will rescind the carbon emissions standard for existing power plants, often referred to as the Clean Power Plan, and is cosponsored by a total of 49 Senators.
The Senate EPW Committee alongside Sen. Capito’s Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee held seven hearings this year examining the carbon regulations and heard from a diverse group of experts on the numerous legal, procedural and technical criticisms, to include the following:
On Feb. 11, the Senate EPW Committee held a hearing, Oversight Hearing: Examining EPA’s Proposed Carbon Dioxide Emissions Rules from New, Modified, and Existing Power Plants, to examine the proposed rules, its potential impacts and obtain a general status update. Janet McCabe, acting assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, testified.
On Mar. 11, the Senate EPW Committee held a hearing, Examining State Perspectives of the EPA’s proposed carbon dioxide emissions rule for existing power plants, to hear from state regulators responsible for compliance with the existing source proposal.
On Mar. 23, the Senate EPW Committee held a field hearing in Beckley, West Virginia, Hearing to Examine Impacts of EPA’s Carbon Regulations in Coal-dependent West Virginia.
On May 5, the Senate EPW Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety held a hearing, Legal Implications of the Clean Power Plan, to examine the legal issues surrounding EPA’s carbon regulations.
On May 13, Senator Capito introduced the ARENA Act as the principal legislative vehicle to roll back the President’s so-called Clean Power Plan. Inhofe was an original cosponsor.
On Jun. 23, the Senate EPW Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety held a legislative hearing on the ARENA Act (S.1324) and on the impacts of EPA’s proposed carbon regulations on energy costs for American businesses, rural communities and families.
On Jul. 8, the Senate EPW Committee held a hearing, Road to Paris: Examining the President’s International Climate Agenda and Implications for Domestic Environmental Policy, to examine the president’s Climate Action Plan with a particular focus on his international goals in the context of the ongoing international climate negotiations.
On Aug. 3, Inhofe released a statement in response to President Obama’s finalization of the so-called Clean Power Plan as announced by EPA.
On Aug. 4, the Senate EPW Committee released a Majority Staff Oversight Report titled, Obama’s Carbon Mandate: An Account of Collusion, Cutting Corners, and Costing Americans Billions. The report is the product of an ongoing investigation by committee Republicans on EPA’s development of Obama’s climate rules. The full report can be read here.
On Aug. 5, the Senate EPW Committee Republicans successfully marked up the ARENA Act, despite the Democrats walking out of the markup and further illustrating their lack of commitment to addressing the flaws in the president’s carbon mandates.
On Sept. 29, the Senate EPW Committee held a hearing, Economy-wide Implications of President Obama’s Air Agenda, to hear from Janet McCabe, acting assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Air and Radiation.
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