Bradley Byrne: Cutting regulations, lowering power bills
The summer months in southwest Alabama can be especially grueling with temperatures resting in the 90s. If your family is like mine, summer also means higher power bills. Well, those power bills might be getting even more expensive without anything to do with the weather. In the past few years the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a record number of regulations. They run the gambit from costly regulations on coal power plants to attempts to regulate mud puddles on family farms to policies changing what type of light bulbs Americans can use in their home. The new regulations aren’t cheap, and they will hit the wallets of working Americans. Studies found that the EPA’s attempt to regulate CO2 emissions from existing fossil-fuel power plants would cost more than $366 billion. Even worse, families in more than 40 states, including Alabama, would see their power bills rise by double digits. It doesn’t stop there. The EPA’s attempt to lower the ozone standard would result in the most expensive rule it has ever proposed. If put into effect, the National Association of Manufacturers contends, the regulation could slash family budgets by $830 per year, reduce our gross domestic product by $1.7 trillion, and cost our economy 1.4 million jobs. Being from along the Gulf Coast, we know how important it is have clean air and water, but I don’t think the American people need costly mandates and federal requirements in order to be good stewards of our land. We should always consider the effect such regulations would have on hardworking families and the budgets of small businesses. In Congress, I have made it a priority to focus on solutions that help lower the costs of energy and fight back against the activist EPA. A few weeks ago, the House passed H.R. 2402, the Ratepayer Protection Act. This common-sense legislation would allow states to opt-out of implementing the EPA’s rule on greenhouse gas emissions if they found the rule would have an adverse effect on families in their state. The House is also using the appropriations process to rein in the EPA. Since Republicans took control of the House in 2010, the EPA has been cut by about 15 percent, but I think we can make even more cuts. This year’s funding bill for the EPA, being debated in the House this week, is $1.17 billion less than President Obama requested. The funding bill also includes provisions to prevent the EPA from moving forward with many of its regulations. Analysts say that by halting these new regulations, our legislation will save nearly 300,000 jobs related to the energy sector. Our bill also rejects efforts to place more requirements and red tape on new energy projects. Congress and the legislative branch aren’t the only ones fighting back against the EPA’s overreach. A few weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the EPA in a major court decision. In the ruling, the court said that the EPA has to consider the economic impact when issuing new regulations. It was a major victory for those of us who think regulations are holding back our economy. If we are to accomplish a true “all-of-the-above” approach to energy production, then we must stop senseless regulations and costly red tape. Affordable energy is a key component to turning our economy around and putting people back to work. That should be the ultimate focus of Congress, and that will remain my focus as I serve as your voice in Washington. Bradley Byrne is a member of the U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Gary Palmer backs EPA ‘overreach’ bill delaying new emissions rules
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer took part in a dual effort in Congress to stop what he called “overregulation” aimed at delaying the implementation of new rules under the federal Clean Air Act of 1963. Palmer said the regulatory changes were coercive in nature and constitute a de facto regressive tax increase as he argued in favor of the “Ratepayer Protection Act,” which passed the House 287-180 yesterday and now goes before the Senate for a vote. Palmer, who represents Alabama’s 6th congressional district based in the suburbs of Birmingham, offered a scathing critique of the Environmental Protection Agency, whose power to tighten restrictions on energy production as part of new so-called Clean Power Plant requirements is authorized under the Clean Air Act. “The EPA makes a habit out of claiming more authority than it rightfully has, particularly under this Administration,” said Palmer in a news release Wednesday. “The EPA’s proposed ‘Clean Power Plant’ rule is an example of this. This rule would require power plants to reduce emissions by 30% in the next 15 years in order to achieve little to no environmental benefit. According to the NERA, an economic consulting and analysis firm, this proposal would cost between $41 and $73 billion per year. There is a strong possibility this rule will be struck down in court. In the meantime, it could do significant economic damage. “This rule amounts to a massive tax increase on those Americans least able to pay it. The Ratepayer Protection Act would shield states from being forced or coerced into complying with this unwise and possibly illegal rule. I am glad to support this first step toward rolling back EPA’s overregulation.” Palmer is a member of the Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on the Environment. In a meeting of the panel yesterday on Capitol Hill, the first-term Republican inveighed against the EPA’s alleged incursions into the legislative branch and vowed to oppose any measure that would raise the price of domestic energy production. Alabama’s 6th congressional district is tied with Texas’ 13th district as the most Republican-leaning in the nation. Cook Political Report rates it “R +28.”
U.S. House of Representatives: June 22-26
With Independence Day recess next week, the U.S. House of Representatives has a busy schedule this week. Members of Congress return tomorrow to consider 14 bills under suspension of the rules including H.R. 805, the DOTCOM Act, which limits the ability of the Commerce Department to relinquish responsibility over the assignment of Internet domain names. The majority of the other bills to be considered under suspension come from the Homeland Security Committee. After consideration of the suspension bills, legislation on the floor for a vote this week includes: H.R. 1190: Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act of 2015. The bill repeals the provisions of Obamacare that created the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). Alabama co-sponsors: Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL-1), Rep. Martha Roby (AL-2), Rep. Robert Aderholt (AL-4),Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-5) H.R. 2042: the Ratepayer Protection Act. The bill postpones when states and existing fossil-fuel power plants must comply with current or future EPA rules aimed at reducing carbon emissions until all judicial challenges are exhausted, and it allows state governors to opt out of EPA emission reduction rules for existing power plants if he or she certifies the requirements would have an adverse effect on the state’s electricity ratepayers. Alabama co-sponsors: Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL-1), Rep. Martha Roby (AL-2), Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-3), Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-5), Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-7) H.R. 2822: the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2016. The bill provides a total of $30.2 billion in discretionary spending in FY 2016 for the Interior Department, the EPA, the Forest Service and a variety of other agencies. It is also possible the House could consider legislation related to Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).
