Mullin Continues to Fight President’s Overreaching Rules on Power Plants
The House sends disapproval resolutions to the president’s desk
WASHINGTON – December 02, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK-02) on Tuesday voted to disapprove the Obama administration’s final rules regulating emissions from power plants. The resolutions, S.J. Res. 23 and S.J. Res. 24, passed the U.S. Senate on November 17, 2015, and are identical to the disapproval resolutions Mullin cosponsored in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Electricity generation has always been the responsibility of states; but now, the president is threatening communities, businesses, and families by attempting to put the federal government in charge,” said Mullin, a second-term lawmaker on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “The EPA has clearly acted outside of the authority it was granted by Congress in the Clean Air Act.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has interpreted sections 111(b) and 111(d) of the Clean Air Act as the authority needed to set emissions standards for new fossil fuel-fired power plants and require states to submit plans to meet targets set for existing power plants. The EPA finalized its rules regarding the emissions of new and existing power plants on October 23, 2015.
“I am tired of seeing the president put the priorities of radical environmentalists ahead of what is best for American families,” Mullin added. “These rules continue the pattern of overreach we have seen from this president and his administration – they are unworkable and put the reliability of our electric grid at risk.”
Under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) of 1996, either chamber of Congress can introduce a joint resolution of disapproval that blocks an agency’s final regulation from taking effect. The resolution must be passed by both chambers and signed by the president to have the force of law. The CRA prohibits an agency from issuing the same or a substantially similar rule unless authorized by Congress.
S.J. Res 23 and S.J. Res. 24 passed the House by a vote of 242-180 and 235-188, respectively. Both resolutions will now go to the president’s desk.
