New EPA Biden Admin. Standard Would Hurt Kentucky, Increase Dependency On China
‘the job of actually implementing the EPA’s new mandate will fall to the states, who are forced to inherit all the costs of this bad policy. From offshoring manufacturing jobs… To greater reliance on China… To higher prices when Americans can least afford it.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding EPA CRA:
“Last week, in his State of the Union address, President Biden bragged that he’s taking, ‘the most significant action on climate ever in the history of the world.’
“What he failed to mention is that his radical climate policy almost always comes at the expense of American workers and job creators.
“Just recently, the Biden Administration rolled out yet another job-killing mandate that would impose more unilateral economic pain at home. This one goes well beyond the regulatory standards of most of our European allies, let alone our top strategic competitor, China.
“The EPA wants to tighten limits on fine particles in the air, known as PM2.5, despite its own data showing that concentrations have gone down by over 40 percent in the last two decades.
“The vast majority of these emissions come from sources like wildfires and dust from agriculture and roads that are not easily contained and – in some cases – impossible to control.
“We’re talking about a climate boogeyman conjured out of smoke and dust.
“The EPA’s new standard is so strict that when it takes effect, 30 percent of U.S. counties, including many in my home state of Kentucky, would immediately find themselves out of compliance, grounding manufacturing growth to a halt.
“Meanwhile, the job of actually implementing the EPA’s new mandate will fall to the states, who are forced to inherit all the costs of this bad policy. From offshoring manufacturing jobs… To greater reliance on China… To higher prices when Americans can least afford it.
“In order to keep up with President Biden’s new mandate, American manufacturers would be forced to import raw materials, like concrete and steel, for virtually any construction project – the kind of projects that grow our economy and support good-paying jobs.
“In other words, the Biden Administration is saying – in no uncertain terms – that they’re willing to make our economy more dependent on foreign supply chains, just to appease the green activist in this country.
“So it’s no surprise that state leaders are pushing back on this ruling. Kentucky’s Attorney General, Russell Coleman, is leading a lawsuit with West Virginia to challenge the EPA’s mandate. And so far, nearly half of our States have signed on.
“Unlike the Biden Administration, local and state leaders understand just how damaging this new rule would be for workers and job creators back home.
“Today, I’m happy to announce that Senate Republicans stand ready to do our part. Today, I’m introducing a resolution under the Congressional Review Act that would prevent the EPA from plowing ahead with this senseless regulatory overkill.
“I’m thankful to more than forty colleagues who have joined my resolution so far as co-sponsors. Senate Republicans will continue to stand with American workers and job creators – especially when the Biden Administration tries to make their work so much harder.”
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Related Issues: Congressional Review Act, Green New Deal
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