U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court’s stay of the so-called “Clean Power Plan.” 

“Arkansans depend on our reliable and affordable source of electricity so the stay of the President’s so-called ‘Clean Power Plan’ issued by the Supreme Court is welcome news. 

The President couldn’t get his extreme carbon policy agenda through Congress, so he tried to use the EPA force it on the American people. This overreach puts Arkansas families at risk of higher energy costs, electricity blackouts and job cuts. 

The Court’s action temporarily protects Arkansans from a dramatic increase in electricity rates—which would be devastating for low-income families and seniors living on fixed-incomes and would dramatically slow economic growth in our state—while the litigation continues. 

The challenge brought forward by Arkansas and over 25 other states clearly has solid legal grounding and I believe the Court’s stay on this plan will ultimately be made permanent. I commend Arkansas’s Attorney General Leslie Rutledge for leading the fight in the courts and stand with her as we continue to fight this mandate in Congress.” 

Background: Late last year, Congress passed two resolutions—S.J.Res.23, which would rescind the carbon emissions standards for new power plants and S.J.Res.24, which would rescind the carbon emissions standard for existing power plants. These two resolutions, which Boozman cosponsored, were subsequently vetoed by President Obama.