Press Releases
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton joined Congressional efforts to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from moving forward with its misguided carbon mandate.
Boozman and Cotton joined with 47 of their Senate colleagues to file two joint resolutions of disapproval to stop the regulatory overreach of President Obama’s so-called Clean Power Plan rule.
“The EPA, under President Obama’s directive, is trying to eliminate the reliable and affordable sources of electricity Arkansans depend upon. If he succeeds, Arkansans will see their electricity bill spike dramatically. It will be devastating for low-income families and seniors living on a fixed-income and it will drive jobs away from Arkansas,” Boozman said. “Innovation, technology and positive incentives are how you continue to reduce emissions. This heavy-handed mandate is the wrong approach. We are pushing back to prevent the Administration from moving forward with it.”
“Simply put, the Clean Power Plan will have a devastating impact on Arkansas. Under these regulations, power plants across the Natural State would be forced to close their doors and Arkansas families would see their energy costs sky rocket. This legislation is an important first step in fighting back against EPA overreach and stopping the Clean Power Plan in its tracks,” Cotton said.
The Congressional Review Act (CRA) allows either the Senate or the House to approve a joint resolution of disapproval with the full force of law to stop a federal agency from implementing a recent rule or regulation. A resolution of disapproval introduced under the CRA cannot be filibustered and requires a simple majority in the Senate to pass if acted upon during a 60-day window.
The two resolutions Boozman and Cotton are cosponsoring are 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.