Contact:

Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-9797

Katie Brown Katie_Brown@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-2160            

Inhofe: President Obama Punting on Greenhouse Gas Regulations to Save His Job

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today said that President Obama is putting off his Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) greenhouse gas regulations until after the 2012 elections in an effort to save his job; but if he is reelected he will undoubtedly push full speed ahead to achieve cap-and-trade through regulations because he could not do it through legislation.  At a hearing today in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said EPA "was not at this point" ready to issue a rule for refineries and may not issue them in 2012. She later said to reporters, "We're not, not planning it, but I think the question I was asked was, 'are you planning to do one this year.' I don't believe we have one that we plan to issue, I believe, this year."

"With gas prices on the rise, President Obama is scrambling to save his job - that's why he's delaying his greenhouse gas regulations, which he has admitted, will cause energy prices to 'necessarily skyrocket,'" Senator Inhofe said. "But if he is reelected nothing will stop him from achieving his crown jewel: cap-and-trade through regulations.  These rules alone will cost more than $400 billion a year, and American families will have to pay the price.

"Let's remember that when they tried to achieve cap-and-trade through legislation, a report by the National Black Chamber of Commerce revealed that their policies of energy austerity would cause gas prices to rise up to 16% by 2050.  But, of course, this is the Administration's stated purpose: President Obama's Energy Secretary Steven Chu has admitted that their goal is to raise gas prices up to the levels in Europe.  That's around $8 to $9 a gallon. 

"Today the global warming movement has completely collapsed - keep in mind that was the whole reason for this cap-and-trade agenda in the first place.  Now, especially in an election year, President Obama and his green team don't want the American people to know that they are still just as determined to move forward with global warming regulations that will destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs, cause electricity rates to skyrocket, and create even more pain at the pump."

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