WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, spoke on the Senate floor in support of an amendment before the Senate to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating beyond the intent of the Clean Air Act (CAA). 

The amendment, offered by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), clarifies the law which the EPA is misinterpreting by regulating greenhouse gas emissions. 

“This amendment enables the EPA to focus on the important purposes of the Clean Air Act, which I strongly support. The Clean Air Act must be used to protect the public from harmful pollution. The Clean Air Act was not intended to address climate change concerns,” Boozman said on the Senate Floor. “We must make sure the EPA avoids politically-driven initiatives and becomes focused on its core mission, protecting air and water quality and preventing exposure to toxic contamination.” 

The amendment is based on the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, legislation proposed by Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and cosponsored by Boozman that would prevent EPA bureaucrats from imposing unjustified and burdensome regulations on American job creators.

The amendment failed in a vote on the Senate Floor Wednesday evening.