Congressional Republicans Attempt to Delay, Defang Clean Power Plan

The Heartlander cites CEI`s Myron Ebell on the EPA rules:

President Barack Obama has already threatened to veto any bill attempting to block Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules.

“President Obama has made reducing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, and thereby killing the coal industry, driving manufacturing jobs abroad, and raising people’s electric bills in the heartland states, one of the main goals of his second term,” said Myron Ebell, director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. “Therefore, the president is almost certain to veto any bill to block EPA’s regulations that the House and Senate send to him.”

Even if a veto is likely, there are several reasons why a bill passed in the Senate and House would be beneficial, Ebell says.

“First, it sends a clear signal to foreign countries that the Obama administration’s official commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions submitted to the Paris Accord, the forthcoming climate treaty scheduled to be signed in December, is opposed by Congress,” Ebell said.

“Second, the federal judges considering lawsuits to overturn the regulations will know Congress has decided EPA has exceeded its authority,” said Ebell.

“Third, and most importantly, floor votes in favor of blocking the power plant regulations will provide strong support for including similar provisions in the omnibus spending bill that Congress will consider this fall to fund the federal government in fiscal year 2016,” Ebell said. “Obama could veto the omnibus spending bill as well, but he will then have to explain to the American people why he is shutting down the government in order to preserve regulations that will increase electricity prices and destroy jobs.”