WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) issued the following statement on being unanimously elected chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) for the 115th Congress.

“I’m honored to serve as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and I thank my colleagues for electing me,” said Barrasso. “I look forward to working closely with Ranking Member Carper and all of the members on the committee to pass legislation that helps improve the lives of all Americans.

“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Senators Moran, Ernst, Harris, and Duckworth, who are new to our committee. The insights they will bring will strengthen our committee. 

“As chairman, I will focus on measures that will remove red-tape and bureaucratic barriers to economic development, while ensuring clean air, land, and water for every American. Over the past eight years, a runaway Environmental Protection Agency has time and again issued cumbersome regulations that have limited job creation and energy development. Our committee will work closely with the next administration to remove these obstacles to economic growth, while protecting the environment.

“Our early priorities include confirming a new administrator at the EPA. We will also work to pass badly needed reforms to problematic EPA regulations issued over the past eight years, as well as finding ways to better empower rural communities by addressing aging roads, bridges, and dams.”

EPW committee members in the 115th Congress are Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-DE) and Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Boozman (R-AR), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Kamala Harris (D-CA).

 

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